Thanks everyone for your great comments on my last post. I know that parenting issues and especially conversations about discipline can become "hot" issues very quickly. Please know that I in no way intended to hurt or offend anyone by my comments. I sincerely apologize if you felt that way. I really appreciated the positive tone of all of your comments, even those of you who didn't agree with my position. Thank you for being so gracious and know that I respect all of your positions on parenting. Michelle, thanks for your comments about raising a special needs child. I am such a fan of your blog and am so overwhelmed by your devotion to Riley and making sure she gets every opportunity to enjoy and be successful in her life. I love how you call Riley your teacher and I feel the same about my children. I learn so much about myself through them and the most revealing lessons seem to come when they are in rebellion mode. How will I react? How will I respond? How will I use this moment to teach them what they need to know one year from now, five years from now, ten years from now? I get the impression from reading your blog that we're probably closer in parenting philosophy than it might seem from reading my last post. I know that you must adapt for Riley's needs but I sense that you actively work at teaching her strategies to deal with the behavior issues that she struggles with. Thank you for the very gentle, but firm reminder that I don't always know what's going on behind the fits and tantrums that other kids may throw. I needed to hear that. We all need to hear that. Those high horses can look pretty good and we might want to climb on their backs when our kids are acting like little angels while others are acting like little turds, but the thing about high horses is they may look good, but they're still full of, well you know . . .
I do know that every kid is different. Every family is different. And I agree, each parent must find their own way. I guess where my "2 cents" post came from is having some friends at church, in the neighborhood and at my kids' schools where the parents moan and groan about behavior problems but make no changes to what they are doing to try to solve them. I think when offered the chance to share, I just wanted to offer something that has worked for me. Kind of like sharing a good recipe, you just want others to enjoy the sweet stuff you have found.
Again, thanks to you all for the great comments. I appreciate the challenges and the encouragements!
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Fun at the fair!
I wrote in one of my previous posts that I entered some photos in the county fair. Well, we didn't win anything, but here are some pictures of our entries.
Happy Birthday Little Princess!
Today, my baby girl turns 12! Agghh! Where have the years gone? She came into the world a big bundle of sunshine and she continues to light my days! Happy Birthday sweetie!
6 comments:
I thought your parenting post opened up a great dialogue. I didn't think you were on a high horse at all? If something's working for you, you want to share it and for the majority of kids those tools work. I've just had to learn from my own child that if you have a kid with true flexibilty issues, it doesn't pay to dig your heels in and be inflexible yourself! Everything is a negotiation and all kids are different and need different approaches! With a special needs kid you have to pick your battles and work on some of the littler battles later than what may be age appropriate for their peers.
No worries!
I agree with Michelle. I saw no horse! I feel bad if you thought you offended me, because no didn't! I hope I didn't you, either. (I wrote you another comment).
I thought it was a really good post. I think people edit themselves too much sometimes. I hate PC worry! Stop that! You gave people good food for thought, and a chance to share their ideas. ;)
:)
Oh, and Happy Birthday to your girly! Yay! Now...On to the teenage years. I'm glad it is you, and not me, yet. LOL!
Your little boy is beautiful, too.
:)
I didn't get into the kiddo discussion since I don't have then, but wanted to tell you how much I like your photos and say Happy Birthday to your lovely daughter!
Um, that should read "don't have them" not "then." Time to go to bed.
Happy birthday to your daughter! Twelve was such a great year for me -- I hope it will be for her, too. I've been out of town and I just caught up on your last few posts -- thanks for answering my question about how you raised great kids! Both of your main points really resonated with me. My mom was a military wife and spent a lot of time on her own with 3 kids and no family nearby, in foreign countries, etc. And I think she DID make us the center of her world, not knowing what else to do. We were a bit spoiled. But she always set boundaries, too, while letting us still explore a bit and have some freedom. We weren't smothered, and she would never have picked seeds out of our bread! Not having kids of my own yet, I don't have much to contribute, but I really enjoyed reading your last few posts!
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