Good Parenting

I am sure there is already a book by this name, and I am equally sure none of my examples of parenting will ever make it into any reprints of this book.

Today when Diggle came down to interrupt my treadmill run the 1st thing I growled at him, (ok maybe gasped would be a better description), was "someone had better be bleeding". Sadly he did not look even the slightest bit concerned, but shrugged his shoulders and proceeded to try to mime out what he wanted (he knows I cant hear a thing with my iPod in).
In my defense I had told them not to come and bug me while I was running unless there was an injury or the house was on fire. Sure enough he just had a random question, nothing that could not have waited.

Right now they are both in a bath full of bubbles, it will keep them amused for at least 40 minutes and give me some peace, and the added benefit is that they should both be a little cleaner by the time they get out!

I know there are many many different styles of parenting, and mostly kids turn out ok even after all the shit we subject them to. I am not a parent who lets my kids walk all over me, or get away with much. I have a feeling some of my friends feel I am too strict, but I am still more lenient than my parents were. My guys know how far they can push to get what they want, and like most kids, will try and push it further.  They also know when I am deadly serious and they have overstepped that limit. I remember a few days ago,  after Christmas, the look on their faces when I totally lost it after they had pushed and pushed and I was too tired to argue till I snapped. Diggle was waving his hands in the air saying "its ok Mommy, its ok, we will do it, just calm down, your face has gone all red!" Ah yes....a proud parenting moment indeed, your kid is concerned you are going to stroke out in the kitchen and has caved to your demands.

Image by Sensual Shadows Photography 

Now before I get hate mail and people start threatening to report me to CAS, let me say, my kids are well loved and have a wonderful life. I keep telling them they could have it so much worse, I even offer to let them experience it worse if they don't start behaving! They are not beaten, they are fed, clothed, loved and educated (even if they would rather watch tv all day!), and I am sure when they are older they will not remember that I was only concerned about not being disturbed unless there were bodily injuries, but rather that I let them play in the bath for really long time and did not yell when there were bubbles half way up the wall and all over the floor.