Breath in and out, in and out... that's what I am telling myself as I stand over the top of my empty make-up bag and survey the make-up accessories and pieces all over my Auntie's bathroom. Her four year looks at me and says, "It wasn't me". Honestly I wanted laugh but I was so darn angry... She is one of those children that makes me feel like I am trying to train a hound dog of some kind. You know the type, stubborn beyond reason, extremely dramatic, and is incredibly destructive in a VERY short amount of time. I love her to death but my Aunt, Gram, and myself sped so much energy chasing her down, telling her to pick things up, and repeating ourselves about getting into things that are not hers that I want to scream REALLY loud at the top of my lungs until I'm blue in the face...
I am turning into my mother as far as parenting goes. I'm not even ashamed to admit it. My husband and I both parent very similarly and him being in the military makes for an orderly and obedient child. I was raised where children say "yes, ma'm" the moment they are spoken to, there is no dawdling once told to do something, you do it first and then ask questions, go to the bathroom, etc. If things are out of place in your room, they are thrown away. If you unfolded clothes in your dressar, every drawer was dumped out in your room and you had twenty minutes to refold and organize. If you told a lie, it was five spanks mandatory. If you were disrespectful, it was a spatula on your back side. Grounding meant no television, no friends, no phone calls, no toys, no going anywhere, except to school. And while you were at home, you were cleaning twenty four seven.
This makes for me being a strict parent. I don't do the screaming and bouncy kids. I don't do children that don't listen or that disrespect their parents. I don't people that refuse to spank their kids or make them obey or allow them to scream, even though they claim they are just letting them be kids and have fun. PuhLEASE!! You are a parent first, friend second. Who cares if they despise you as teenagers, most teenagers despise their parents. They will thank you later when they grow up to be civlized and productive members of society that value treating others with respect and know the importance of wrking hard for what they get. enough said!
