It
is interesting to me that so often when people find out that I homeschool one
of the first things they say is that they couldn't spend all day with their
children. They hate for summer to come and can't wait for September when
the kids go back to school. That is so sad to me. I waited quite a
while for three of my four children and I was so grateful for each of them, yet
that wasn't really enough for me. I really wanted to enjoy being with my
children. I wanted to like them not just love them. I was raised by old-fashioned parents who believed in
disciplining so that their children would never be offensive to other people
and so they would enjoy us. Today, they honestly enjoy being with all of
us. We sit around a table eating and laughing until our sides hurt and we
all love it. That is where the mean mommy comes in. So many people
think I am a mean mom because I discipline my children. I set clear
limits well inside the bounds of my own sanity and then I consistently enforce
the limits. I teach table manners and require my kids to use them.
I don't let my kids interrupt conversations adult or otherwise and we
practice conversation skills at the dinner table. My children are
interesting, thoughtful people who actually like to be with their parents.
They will come and hang out on our bed and talk for hours.
They hang around the dinner table and talk about things going on in their
lives and in the world. Other people enjoy my children and often comment
about how nice they are. When did it become more important to be friends with
our kids, than it is to be their parents? When did our culture decide
that if you discipline that you are mean, impatient and unkind? It seems
to me the truly unkind thing is not to teach them. The happiest children
I know come from homes where mom and dad are on the same page and discipline
consistently. So here's to mean moms (and dads) everywhere! I hope
you enjoy your children even more in the New Year!
