In the last seven years of my parenting journey, I’ve learned that there are a lot of tips and tricks to raise awesome kids. Allow me to share them with you!
- Don’t give your children screen time, it’s only going to stunt your children’s brain development.
- Sugar? High fructose corn syrup? Don’t even think about it!
- Only feed your children fast food if it’s Chick-fil-A.
- Don’t yell at your children. You must ask them to stop fighting in your librarian voice for the 90th time…today. Keep your freakin’ cool.
- Don’t let your children be over scheduled, but also sign them up for all possible extra curricular activities to ensure they’re maximizing their strengths and talents. Do I hear a scholarship calling?
- Only clean with non-chemical based products ya’ll.
- Don’t be your child’s friend.
- Don’t be your child’s enemy.
- Allow your child to have emotions, even if its in aisle 8 at the grocery store because you didn’t let them throw the can of pasta sauce.
- If they don’t have a routine, they’re going to be failures.
- Protect them of all hurt, but let them hurt.
Did you catch all of that? To sum up my list… don’t be human and don’t let life happen or your children will be ruined and people will judge you.
But maybe you do follow some of the things on the list or maybe you’re a parent who doesn’t follow anything on the list. Point is, life is tough. Parenting is tough. We are all doing our best to try to survive.
Question is, can we survive without the fear of judgment from other parents?
I remember when my oldest was a toddler and we were out to eat at a nice sushi restaurant. We noticed this family sit down next to us with three children ranging from ages 3 to 7 years old. As the server stopped by to ask for their drink order, I noticed one of the parents giving all the children a device. I remember thinking that I would never do that.
Fast forward five years, if I want dinner at a restaurant that doesn’t offer a toy with purchase of a kid’s meal? Screens for all! I look back and think about the parents that were eating sushi with their kids next to us that day. I’m pretty sure they both enjoyed their food in absolute silence looking up at one another with the same look, “We’re surviving and it’s going to be okay.”
