Comments on: Adjusting My Parental Controls

By: tessica

tessica — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:40:25 +0000

I constantly am told that my daughter is great and so well behaved, even more than most 5 year-olds. BUT I always think that she could do a little less running, or screaming, or other things 5 year olds do!
But I think it is often hard to have perspective concerning our own children!

By: This Mama Works It!

This Mama Works It! — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:23:18 +0000

What a great post! And yes I can totally relate! Sounds like we are a lot alike! I am follower of you now.

By: Maria

Maria — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:38:50 +0000

Thank you Ladies! Emily, you do make a good point. She does behave well at school and there are plenty of times when she is fine in other public situations. I think I just need to learn to pick my battles. I think Alicia’s example proves this will be the case for many years to come!

By: ELC

ELC — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:52:50 +0000

I think every parent can relate! I think an important, but difficult thing to try to teach our kids is the context in which certain behaviors are OK or not. Are running and jumping and yelling always wrong? No, but it’s not acceptable in a library or a fancy restaurant because it would be disturbing to other people. On the playground, or someplace where everyone is expecting a riotous-kid-tornado-dance-party, well, then it’s OK. Not exactly sure how to make this notion penetrate my 2 YO’s brain, but I’m pretty sure your daughter already knows it. She doesn’t act wild at school, or when you took her to get her nails done, or many other times we’ve been together, but she knew it was OK at her cousin’s house on this particular party-night. That’s testament that you ARE doing a good job teetering the line!

By: Alicia

Alicia — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:01:30 +0000

Ha….I had a moment like this a few weeks ago, with my TEENAGER! I ran into my boss at the mall and we were talking about how my daughter had never been to my office before (my son, who’s younger, has come to work with me a few times) and she went into this cranky, angsty spiel about how she basically wouldn’t be caught DEAD hanging out with her MOM at her LAME and BORING job and if she did there would be huge fights….!!!! I was mortified and wanted to smack her snotty little face off but I was told by all (including my boss, whose kids are grown) that it was not that bad, I was overreacting, “She’s just a kid!” etc. Whereas I felt like at 16 she should know how to answer a question politely and behave herself!! I think all kids just royally embarrass their parents sometimes, the fact that you worry about it just means you’re a good mom and a conscientious person.