Mar 29 2009
What Changed In Your Parenting Techniques?
My baby days are over, but I will never forget how I planned everything “just right” before my first was born. “First, I will do this… then I will do that.” But the moment your infant takes his or her first breath, all games are off. When it comes to children, you can plan, but that does not necessarily mean you will be able to carry it out!
Examples, you ask? Sure! I started with a boy. And my boy was not going to have toy guns. I don’t know why.. after all, I had toy guns when I was young and I turned out alright. But “this world is too violent” so guns were out.
But do you know what boys do? They pick up sticks and go “bang bang!” even if they have never, EVER seen a gun on TV! They are born with this stuff, plain and simple. It was Aunt Roxanne that gave him his first toy gun - a hand-me-down from her sons. I was NOT happy.
Fast forward to today? My daughter has some pretty cool cap guns somewhere in her room. My teenagers have pellet guns. The boys are scouts and have shot .22’s and shotguns. And my oldest, you know, the one with no guns as a baby, is a GREAT shot. He is also an honor student in a college prep school. And a good kid. The “guns” aren’t a big fixture in their lives - they are too busy outside playing basketball, running or skateboarding. Aunt Roxanne’s hand-me-down didn’t phase them a bit.
Things just change. What has changed with your parenting ideas? Were you certain you would never do something that has since changed? Oh wait, I have one more for you. As a child, I swore I would never EVER say, “Because I told you so!” to my children. Umm… I broke that rule too!
Please share your parent changing stories!
