Contemplating life on top of Pinnacle Mountain. Actually, we were probably talking about Lightning McQueen.
Before I got into this whole parenting gig four years ago I was sure that people were overstating how complicated it is. I’m not talking about the daily challenges like sleepless nights, battles of wills, testing of patience and, at times, an utter inability to relate. I wasn’t naïve to how hard those would be. What I’m referring to are some hot-button issues that really get parental blood boiling, such as education, vaccines (although that should be less hot now.), breast feeding, corporal punishment and Santa Claus.
It’s not that I was unaware these were contentious issues, it’s just that I was confident in my opinion on each (as ignorant as that sounds now). I assumed that my wife and I could just make our choices, everyone else could make theirs and we’d all pat ourselves on the back and sing Kumbaya . Boy was I wrong. I completely underestimated a parent’s ability (including my own) to antagonize and belittle others, even if done unintentionally or subconsciously.
Parents have opinions. Passionate ones. And most of them want other parents to agree with theirs. I really don’t know why that is, but my theory is that we know the gravity of the task ahead of us and we want validation that we’re doing it right.
We should definitely have our convictions about all of these issues. What kind of parents would we be if we didn’t? We’ll almost certainly take the public school route. He has received all of the scheduled and recommended vaccines and will continue to do so. He was not breastfed for the most part. We will never spank him. He believes in Santa Claus. I’m also in favor of discussing all of these issues with as many people as possible in order to understand other points of view and even change my mind if warranted. We cannot, however, allow those discussions to turn into harsh judgments about one another as parents.
Now that I know how difficult this job is, what I refuse to do is criticize others who choose differently on these issues. Unless I see some sort of true neglect or abuse, I’m going to assume that parents who have differing points of view have weighed each as prayerfully, judiciously and soberly as Shannon and I have. This is a damn hard job. We should be helping each other through this gloriously difficult life as a parent rather than looking for ways to prove others wrong.
Filed under: Life
I regularly tell people, as the mother of a 4-year-old, I was a really good parent 5 years ago. Now, I’m just doing what I gotta do to get through the day. And so is everyone else.
I am a single parent of 4 grown-up kids. I thought it would be easier dealing with them the moment they all become young adolescent.I was wrong. It’s more difficult.
A bit of a catch-22 scenario with parenting in the 21st century. Ever noticed how as parents we seem to put more pressure on our children, have we raised our expectations too much? After school classes, daily homework, eat on time, sleep on time, get up on time – where’s the play? What’s the cause of all this? The world around us has become that much more competitive and we feel the need to turn our kids into super-human robots. Success is measured on how many cars they will have, the top job and big house, maybe building on the things we never got. I recall growing up and my parents were never that involved in my education, yes my welfare, but because they were working hard in a new country. I must say I turned out OK and I expect to balance out the play and work. As for what other parents do, everyone has their style and it’s the arrogance in us all that wants to improve their methods – let parents feel their own way, we all connect differently with our kids.
Interesting insights. It is even HARDER, I would argue, when you and your spouse agree at the onset about many fundamental aspects of parenting…then he chooses to divorce you about a decade down the road after having 2 amazing kids, marries someone else who embodies the antithesis of all you hold dear and “they” have your children in their custody half the time.
Oh. My. God.
Yes, people change, and certainly, I’m a fan of parents being parents and being allowed to choose their own parenting tactics. But this is proving the most difficult challenge of my life.
Your last line reads, “As for what other parents do, everyone has their style and it’s the arrogance in us all that wants to improve their methods – let parents feel their own way, we all connect differently with our kids.”
But what if the other parent’s style is completely unlike your own, and you see potential dangers for your own children based on those styles?
Just curious…
Thank you for this post! One of the oddest things I’ve noticed about parenthood is the kind of vicious judgement parents can cast on other parents. A decision to sleep-train my child came after much debate, talks with pediatricians, reading, and consulting others. The reaction I got from other parents was pretty hateful and dissappointing. I’m on board with you… Parenting is hard enough without negative input!
Very inspiring, loved it. If you need something to lighten up the mood of your day, Im sure my blog could help
totally agreed- I know very few parents (despite sooooo many different views) who are bad parents. I was so critical as a single person and when I got there I understood we’re all just trying to do our best. There are so many factors to consider not just the “issues” like: up bringing of both parents, the parents personalities and preferences, the current life situation they find themselves in. . .the list goes on and on. I’m a homeschooling, nurse to they stop, yes on spanking, yes on vaccines, no to santa kind of mom here but, I have a warm heart looking at you sitting on a mt. with your son possibly discussing lightening McQueen
I have found that listening to someone else’s opinion and agreeing with what I can about it defuses a lot of the tension we can inadvertently (and sometime on purpose) put on each other. You know that you and your wife have not come to these decisions lightly so, you don’t need to explain or justify to anyone who isn’t as sincerely interested in listening w/o judgment as you are and those people are very easy to pick out after a while 
i’m about to become a preant for the first time, in the next couple of days hopefully *he says biting his nails*. These are all concerns i have too but until it happens its all empty advice from people around me. I kinda had the illusion you stated at the start that it would be all ok albeit tough, thats gone now thanks to this blog, in a good way. Heres to how it goes.
Where a parents style of “parenting” borders on an impact on their welfare, then it’s our duty to step in, this is not “being nosy”, it’s trying to stop the practice of something which may ultimately harm the child in the future. I have two nephews whose parents (although they love them) spend more time drinking and dancing at home parties then seeing whether the kids have eaten. My approach is, whenever all our families get together, I normally huddle up all the kids and we do some stories and playtime. The kids love it, it keeps them away from the influences of drink and adult conversations for that period of time and gives me an excuse not to “follow the sheep”. A happy childhood (to the best of our ability) serves kids better in the long term and helps them with forming relationships more confidently.
Thanks…now I don’t want kids at all. Ok ok…just kidding. I have had the opportunity to be an uncle and I get to see how hard it is to be a parent. I know that nothing will ever really prepare me for the hard job. What I always hear is that it is very worth it and that is what I am looking forward to…thanks for the honesty!!
it is great how honest you are about your journey as a parent. I sometimes feel expressing any doubt or indeed guestioning parenting methods or choices, it is sometimes seen as a weakness. We are not machines… we are human….
I am about to become a mother for the first time and while I think that it will all be fine I am sure that it will be tough. Even as a trained therapist I am sure I am going to have good and bad days!
http://www.rocketcoaching.com
One of the things I learned 18 years ago when I became a parent is that I really didn’t know anything at all. You have to take each day as it comes and each child as it comes and other parents should not criticize your choices. We do the best we can each day with the limited knowledge we have and cross our fingers that it all turns out okay. Children certainly don’t come with an owner’s manual
I can relate to this post so much. I wish there were a roadmap for parenting. I am a work in progress as a dad but it feels good to finally be stepping up to the plate and becoming a real dad. I have a son with autism, bringing more challenges. Best of luck to you on your journey — and congrats for your FP!
http://autismdad1966.wordpress.com/
http://wordsonmusicmyblog.wordpress.com/
[...] front page: ‘Read it to the Class!’s is down by the footer, right in the center; ‘The Wes Gazzette’s is even with the top of the main body, to the right; and ’4th and Flatiron’s is at the [...]
So true! Some days I am more surprised at how harshly I find myself judging other parents over how others pass judgement on my parenting. With parenting, in most aspects there really isn’t a right and wrong answer.
I’m not a parent, so I’ll keep this brief–only noting the sheer lengthhhhhhhh of the parent comments above. May just prove your point——
Blogging from Haiti,
Kathy
[...] Before I got into this whole parenting gig four years ago I was sure that people were overstating how complicated it is. I’m not talking about the daily challenges like sleepless nights, battles of wills, testing of patience and, at times, an utter inability t … Read More [...]
Parenting is the most amazing challenge. Loving someone so much that I willingly signed up for the sleepless nights, tantrums, and war of wills because there is nothing like the sound of my girl laughing, the sight of her dancing to the feel of her hugs and kisses.
I too have posted about some of my more challenging days, when I htink I haven’t been the best parent I could be.
I enjoyed your blog. It’s nice to read a Dad’s perspective on parenting. Good luck!
http://www.writerhughes.wordpress.com
Great post! We need to support each other as parents and build each other up, not knock each other down. Thanks for writing about it so honestly.
Each parenting day is a new adventure
“When you know better, you do better” is what I try and teach my 4. I always try and tell them not to judge others because everyone is on a journey and we are all learning. Ultimately, all your kids need and want to know is that they are listened to and loved. That is the only way we all survived our own parents mistakes. Nobody is perfect.. I loved this post and especially the picture. That is a real treasure.
“Parents have opinions. Passionate ones. And most of them want other parents to agree with theirs. I really don’t know why that is, but my theory is that we know the gravity of the task ahead of us and we want validation that we’re doing it right.”
Just brilliant and insightful and heartfelt. Great perspective.
Crystal
http://www.crystalspins.com
I completely agree with your words, especially in light of the tragedy in Arizona last weekend. Tolerance is one of the most important things we can teach our children, especially through our example.
You’re right, and it’s because you’re right that one of the most important thing that should be available to parents, is the ability and right to choose how we wish to bring up their kids. I think of it in this way: There are a 1000 wonderful ways to bring up your children, and a few highly abusive ways, and it’s not that hard to spot the difference. Our varying choices about topics such as vaccines, breast-feeding etc, though they are important, don’t make us automatically good or bad parents. They are just choices we have to make, and we do our best to make the right ones.
I use the word “oughtisms” to refer to the sort of thing you’re talking about, but I write about it specifically in regards to autism, which throws in an extra element, as you can imagine!
What a truthful insight into parenting. We make many hard decisions and others will vehemently hate them. If I was to say I have never gone over decisions that used to be so firm in my mind, I would be lying. Congrats on being freshly pressed.
Never have I needed support more and judgment less than after I became a mother. I find it a shame when parents judge each other, instead of sharing their thoughts in a way that is nonjudgmental and could lead to a positive change for one or both parents.
I enjoyed your post, and congratulations on being FP’d!
Parenting is hard yet very rewarding. It helps when both parents are on the same page with issues and ideology but this is often not the case.
http://www.moneyprovidesfreedom.workpress.com
[...] Welcome to the Parenting Jungle (via The Wes Gazette) Posted on 14 January 2011 by douryeh| Leave a comment Before I got into this whole parenting gig four years ago I was sure that people were overstating how complicated it is. I’m not talking about the daily challenges like sleepless nights, battles of wills, testing of patience and, at times, an utter inability t … Read More [...]
Well put. I think we also need to keep in mind that individual children are different, and methods that work well with some children do not work with others. There is no “correct way” that will work for every family.
Great post, looking forward to the next one. ~SW
I was about to say I haven’t encountered this yet with my child – who’s only 3 months old. And then I remember I’ve gotten some push back from my mother-in-law about vaccines. But I’m comfortable with my decision to giver her vaccines and it doesn’t bother me if other people decide otherwise. Maybe it’s just insecurity that get some people so worked up. I think there are many different choices to make in parenting, one child will differ from another and who am I to say my way is better then the another parent’s. However, I plan on being very comfortable and happy with all the decisions I make for myself after much thought and deliberation
All we can do is love them to pieces and hope for the best. Research where we have to, go from the gut when that is needed too. Instead of judging each other, we should form communities to support each other.
Really well done….you are right on the money.
Why can’t we apply your solution regardless of the subject matter? What’s happening to us?
I guess we just need more proof that we are all inextricabaly connected. This quickened communication is making that more obvious by the minute, don’t you think?
Great post.
Oh gawsh parenting styles. Yep I’ve seen some I’m glad I’m not. Cringe. They say it’s the hardest job you’ll ever have and I agree but it’s also the best and most fun job I’ve ever had.
seems a very interesting place, what’s the exatc location of this place?
Parenting IS a difficult job. But the good news is that it gets easier when the baby of the family hits the quarter century mark. By then, you’ve pretty much got if figured out and you’re ready for the grandkids.
boy aint that the truth!!!
never say never my friend.
parenting is NOT for wimps!
we never realized just how patient, how brave and how truly amazing our own parents were, huh…
even the ones who didn’t do the best job in the world…
some days, i marvel at the fact that i’m even still alive.
good word!
thanks for posting! gives me hope!
As a father of six children ages 20 to 10 I just want to say… welcome to the jungle. Parenting has proven to be more challenging and more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. We have found great value in sharing the jungle journey with others who share a posture of wanting to always learn and grow first, then allow that to influence how we parent. Great blog!
I so agree with you. Thank you for this.
Sheila
Nice post. I found your blog through Freshly Pressed and have actually been thinking the same thing the last few days. In my case, it was caused by a recent WSJ article with the sensational title “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” (some of the comments were truly uncalled for no matter what they thought of her parenting style) and conversations I’ve had with other parents that veered off into circumcision, vaccines, and sleep training. Thanks for sharing.
Myself, I don’t want trophy children, but ones who are mature, self-assured and able to think for themselves… that means doing things differently from most of the people around us…all OK now people can see the results, but man we got some frosty nostrils in the beginning!
Congratulations on being freshly pressed!
I think the whoel parenting thing has been hard work. I think that people dont realise what they are really getting themselves into…. i mean we wll expect hard work, but we only realise that God’s hard work and our hard work are very different! haha.
Ignore everyone. Do what you want to do with the resources you have. People who often get defensive have never really spent the time looking for alternatives, or actually researching the topic. People who have already decided that this is the way it is going to be- are often to lazy to even spend some time reading. It’s those people who still say “do what i say, and not what i do”, that irritate me.
xx
Hi, I am new in blog
Such a good point. I too like to discuss these different points of view with other parents, but a lot of people seem to think a discussion is actually a “hey you suck as a parent, why are you doing things that way” attack on them, so I find it quite hard. People just get so defensive.
I’ve had quite a ride still adjusting not only to being a parent (at the age of 38) but also in another culture. Of course, my partner is also not doubt going through the same thing adjusting to my take on things, as well! Some of the issues you raise are just not a concern here in Japan (Santa Claus, vaccines, breastfeeding), b/c they are simply a given. (Personally, the whole Santa Claus issue escapes me anyway…) But education is certainly an issue, as is self-expression, language, and identity. Ultimately, though, no matter what country or culture you’re parenting in, everybody wants the best for their kids. It’s up to parents to make sure their kids have the widest variety of options available for life, and to support their choices no matter what. IMHO.
Before I became a mom, I had all these notions on how things would be (never use a binky, never let them cry it out at night etc.)…then once I had my babies, all that went out the window. Eight plus years later, I can clearly see that my parenting style may not jibe with others and that is OKAY. We’re all doing the best we can and muddling our way through…hopefully raising our kids in a happy and secure environment, which to me is the most important goal.
Parents of a 21 year old…Man oh man, did you hit the nail on the head!
Live and let live, help when you’re asked, don’t pull out all of your hair….you’ll need it to keep you warm while playing with your future grandkids in the snow:-)… stay humble and pray…I’m talking on your knees…
I am a parent now over 11yrs and I thought hey this is gonna be dead easy, How wrong was I. My own head is all over the place and Im trying to understand the workings of and 11yr old , 9yrold and 5 yr old. I admire my mum for having 7 of us and not ending up in a mental instution. I am probably doing something wrong but I know I do a lot of things right. Its good to know that a lot of people have the same thoughts on the subject. We wont know if the job was a good one till our little children grow up and are happy
I entered parenthood more than 30yr ago with one goal: be a better parent than my mother. When my daughter and I were going through the inevitable teenage battles I told her this and that her job is to be a better parent than me. The current month long battle stopped immediately. Of course another battle started a week later.
I agree 100%… perhaps not with your child rearing tactics, but certainly with your idea that we should quit judging other parents and be supportive instead! Gosh, we can be critical of ourselves and 2nd guess every choice we make… it would be nice to have other parents there to just have our back instead of knocking us down. I have one daughter who is 13, and I did what I thought was right for her and for my husband and I, and yeah, sometimes you catch crap for it from other parents who think they know better… and I will admit there are things we probaby should’ve done differently, and probably things those other parents should’ve changed! Kids don’t come with instruction manuals, do they?! My daughter is a fabulous young lady, for that I give God the credit since I am sure I am messing up every day!
I was married for 22 years to a woman who changed dramatically over time becoming vicious, and an alcoholic. We had two kids who became her center for verbal abuse. She would use them to try and tear me down. I tried everything to get my kids and myself away from her but her acting skills were so good that I became the bad guy. She would, during a drunken rage call the police and right before they arrived she would slam her face against a door frame to cause bruises to her face. You see, at the time I was a professional kickboxer, and of course she was the innocent victim of my rage, or so she would always say. Nothing was further from the truth. After 4 years of court battles and fighting her allegations of abuse, I finally won my hard fought battle for custody of my daughter. My son had already moved out at age 17. I am now married to a wonderful loving woman who is a stay at home mom. We have a beautiful little 2 year old girl and another little girl due in April. My whole point here is that you just never know who you are married to until you have been with them for a few years. People change. Now I have the experience from the school of hard knocks and this time I have made the right choice. As far as raising our kids, well, I am 56 years old, love my family dearly and have no problem at all being a new dad again. It is the most rewarding adventure I have ever taken. My parenting skills combined with my wife’s loving nature will help develop our children to also be loving caring individuals. Sorry, I got off on a tangent there. You have a wonderful blog here. Congrats on the FP.
I agree! Parenting is a tough job. Like every place of employment, there’s some slackers, and there’s some over-achievers.
If only we got paid…
Great post!
Jeremy
Amen! I am a mother of five ranging from 3 to 20 and am still on a very steep learning curve. We can only do our best every step of the way and celebrate the small stuff (which is actually huge), like my 4-year old padding through to our bed, sleepily clambering in for a cuddle and whispering “I feel loved” before falling asleep again. I am sure you’re doing a fantastic job!
Thanks for the comments everyone. I have really enjoyed reading them and am glad to know that there are plenty others who are together with me on this.
Everytime I see a pregnant woman I say to myself, “I’m so glad it’s you and not me!” Parenting sometimes feels as though these offspring have straws stuck into my flesh and they suck the life from me. I have 5 children, and love them to infinity and beyond, however it is not an easy thing. I have 3 adult children now, and 2 pre-teens. My adult kids teach me a lot about parenting the younger ones. I listen to every word they say as if they were the sacred writings. And there will be no judgement from this mother for the actions of other parents.
Great blog!
Yeah, no one is totally prepared to be a parent. Most of it is on the job training.
I also have a blog and I talk about raising my kids (8 and 5) as atheists.
Now that my two sons have grown to teens and young adult, the load of making those decisions has lightened and I can breathe for awhile.
But throughout those years of parenting, I have thought those very thoughts many times, that parents need to be supportive of other parents. It’s just that it isn’t all that easy. I suspect the easier route is to judge, make wrong, take on the protective cloak of self-righteousness. I tried to avoid that as much as possible.
We homeschooled our sons for five years. Not a lot of agreement in the parenting community for that one, believe me. However, I never felt attacked or belittled for it. Mostly, parents were curious (and of course, always concerned about the social aspects). A big part of the reason for that was the commitment I had to listening to people from a place of us AND them, not us or them. Because I wasn’t willing to condemn parents who sent their kids to public school, they didn’t feel they had to protect themselves from my judgement.
It’s a tricky business, I think. Kind of counter-intuitive, perhaps. Takes a lot of interior work, I feel. And I know my two sons have a better life because of it. I didn’t close the door to social connections that are now an essential part of their lives and their well-being.
Best of luck to you in your parenting journey. Keep up the excellent work!
No one is perfect. The very fact that you are looking for answers is a sign of good parenting and your awareness of differing viewpoints and approaches will be passed on to your offspring. Thanks for the post!
It took me eleven years and three daughters, but I’m finally in a space where I’m confident in my parenting decisions. My decisions might differ slightly from others, but I’m fine with that, and if others care to raise an eyebrow that’s their problem.
As with everything in life, it’s our differences that make the world an interesting and colorful place to inhabit. The voice inside my heart speaks loudly to me when I listen, and that’s what guides my decisions.
Parenting is harder than i thought yet it’s could be simpler than you imagine. I think experience helps
… if the president didn’t know what he was getting into and said the same things – like how challenging the job is, what might you think of the president?
… and how long have children been here? (sigh)
I’m lost for words – the most important thing a human can do and so many still don’t know what they’re signing up for? And then parents somehow forget what its like at certain ages, to be a certain age.
Maybe parents should be responsible for their offspring for their entire lives? Would make one think, I think.
As of right now… when they become 18, all of society has to put up with the one’s ill parented.
Driving is a privilege – so is parenting. I believe it’s time for licensing & parent testing.
peace…
Very nicely said! My oldest is a teenager and parenting is so much harder at this age; it makes me realize how black & white parenting decisions are for my younger children. It’s a fine line between criticizing other parents and discussing their choices with my husband so we can have a parenting conversation about what’s right for our family. Have to keep working on that!
Oh dear…
Being a mother is much more difficult than they say or show in glamed up movies! First you have anxiety of first step and walk, then a constant cleaning of the house, when they start crawling, then huge amounts of talks with your friends comparing what children learned new….
Then it’s tantrums what mobile phone a daughter should (not) have and why is she so late to come back from movies…
And then you realise you’re getting old and that headache you had for the past whatever years is the biggest love you have ever experienced…
Great post.
What I’ve found recently, as most have, is that parenting is not a perfect form and that it NEVER ENDS! I thought when my kids reached legal age, that would be the end of my parenting career and we would transition into “friends”. What a farce. You never stop worrying, wondering if you’re doing the right thing(s).
Paula
http://2thyselfbtrue.wordpress.com/
Awesome post…as a father of 3 myself (10, 5, 4)…I was always under the impression that parenting would become easier with each child.
It is like starting over each time. I completely agree with your view on how other’s parent too. Just because I do it a certain way doesn’t make it THE way…
Mike
http://mikes-take.com
First of all a great article.
I always ask a parenting expert or childcare expert or counsellor or even a teacher:
Do you have kids of your own?
—————————————–
That way I know where I stand; they understand me or they don’t have really any idea. You got to have kids to really understand the big picture. (This is one of my big disagreements that experts and government officials are allowed to make rules and regulations on parenting; even so they don’t have kids of their own in a number of cases. (This includes Ministers and Journalist; I had one journalist present a whole article on parenting and how to handle kids and when I asked her if she had any kids, she became rather red-faced answering: “No, can you tell!” – She wrote tonnes of this stuff, I discovered.)
On my blog I got a few points on parenting too, I did train up on it eventually and after the fact! The parenting course was really helpful on understanding how children look at us and what they really need from us. In particular a very interesting side effect, if I may say so, occurred in the form that the course and my son have suddenly re-awaken my own childhood and brought to me a complete new understanding of it.
I understand so much more what I did as a kid and why I did it. This was by far the biggest surprise and words can’t really describe how I have changed my parenting just because of this.
Kids, from the age of toddlers, do understand so much more then I had credited them with; and yes in my childhood I had been treated as a kid who doesn’t understand. Subsequently I treated kids how I had been treated as a kid; they don’t understand.
In addition to this I had a lot of learning problems in my school time, failed class…., and this was addressed only about 15 years ago when I found a course that handles dyslexia and illiteracy. My English, as I think you will agree, is significantly better to my original level of ‘ he should be in a special needs school’ per my teachers.
I did never find out if my last teacher had sympathy with me or perhaps she didn’t want to see me a third time around. (But I did meet her again and spoke to her in fluid English. Yes, her jaw dropped…)
I don’t know if I can or should mention a website that will give you details on the courses I did: http://www.raiseachild.co.uk .
Perhaps you can let me know if I shouldn’t have done this.
ottjo
Keep it up
Interesting post. In theory, I absolutely agree that everyone is entitled to have their own parenting style and (in most cases at least) there is no right or wrong way. In practice, I have found it challenging at times, when close friends choose to parent so differently from me. As someone who is totally and utterly against smacking, for example, I still remember the feeling of horror when a friend smacked her 2 year old right in front of me. I didn’t say anything, but admit that I found it very hard not to. I guess I had stereotyped parents who smack in my mind, and at that moment my perceptions were blown out of the water.
That said, I would be furious and hurt if a friend challenged me on my parenting skills – ultimately we are all doing what we think is right, and none of us will know how good a job we have done until our children are grown up, and it’s too late to change things. Until then, I’ll keep working on biting my tongue!
Hey guys, what’s up? so i was thinking, what if I could not only write blogs but also compile other people’s blogs about the same subject and make a magazine of blogs? id be like an editor! then i found a website that totally does all of that plus more. its the best website for bloggers ever. check it out. go to http://www.bleditor.com
So true! My heart breaks when I watch new parents dig their feet in and REFUSE to let go of their previous ideas of how this parenting gig works – sometimes we just have to let go of how we THOUGHT things would be and accept how they really are and what we have to do to survive and create creat kids. Enjoyed reading your post – you might like my blog about parenting too – if you have a chance to refer anyone feel free – thanks!
Kasey
http://www.smartermoms.wordpress.com
After seven children and six grand children I can say spare the rod and spoil the child. I am glad my mother believed in it and sometimes I regretted that my wife [as well as me] did not.
And then I come to remember the old poem about some plastic clay. Maybe many of us were just too busy to mind doing some shaping when the clay was soft.
nothing!!!
it really is hard…I’m not even a parent and don’t have any kids now but i know coz i experienced everything from changing diapers to feeding the baby coz i help in taking care of my nephews and my niece…and its so hard..but seeing them grow as to who they are in the future i’ll say its worth the endless sleepless nights :p like your post
[...] This post that I came across on WordPress resonated with me very strongly. The writer basically talks about how all of us, as parents, tend to judge and be critical of each other’s parenting methods. [...]
Welcome to the club. Now, when the time comes, see if you don’t lie to other parents about how much time your children spend on the PS3 or xBox! You promise not to lie but you will.
[...] following post has inspired me to write this article Welcome to the parenting jungle Some of the people who used to criticize or judge our son went on to have children but their kids [...]
เที่ยวจีน ทัวร์ฮ่องกง มาเก๊า เที่ยวเกาหลี
ollowing post has inspired me to write this article Welcome to the parenting jungle Some of the people who used to criticize or judge our son went on to have children but their kids
ทัวร์จีน ทัวร์สิงคโปร์ ทัวร์ฮ่องกง ดิสนีย์แลนด์
ollowing post has inspired me to write this article Welcome to the parenting jungle Some of the people who used to criticize or judge our son went on to have children but their kids
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[...] As a new parent, I am truly amazed at how harsh we ALL are on each other at times… Before I got into this whole parenting gig four years ago I was sure that people were overstating how complicated it is. I’m not talking about the daily challenges like sleepless nights, battles of wills, testing of patience and, at times, an utter inability t … Read More [...]