[blparent] A perfect parent

[Jeri Milton]

Hi V. Oh, I love this! it sounds like me! I'm so glad that I'm not alone in
this. Lol. Especially that one about is it time for me to watch tv yet? Tv?
What the heck is that? Lol! By the time I get the television to myself, I'm
too tired to watch anything. Smile. 

Jeri

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Veronica
Smith
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 10:11 AM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: [blparent] A perfect parent

I don't make my kids eat things they don't like - and other lapses of a
"good enough" mom

By Kyran Pittman

I don't make my kids eat things they don't like - and other lapses of a
"good enough" mom

By Kyran Pittman

 

I've always loved that quote from the Earl of Rochester: "Before I got
married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six
children, and no theories." I didn't have any theories about parenting
before I actually became a parent myself; I had rigid, nonnegotiable
certainties. Mercifully, I'm a quick study - it took only three children to
kick me off my high horse regarding the kind of mother I set out to be. That
is, a perfect one. A few of the innumerable ways in which I've (happily)
fallen short:


*	Sometimes I nod and make noises like I am listening to my kids when
I am not. Especially before 9 A.M. 
*	I gave up on giving daily baths - or getting them - after the second
baby was born. 
*	I don't have a one-bite rule; a peanut butter sandwich is always on
the menu; and I could never send a child to bed hungry. 
*	I like to be near my kids when they're playing or doing schoolwork,
but I don't really want to join in (unless they need me). 
*	There are days when I'm the one asking if it's time to watch
television yet. 
*	I forgot to bring my picky-eating fourth grader his lunch today
(again), and he had to get a cafeteria tray. He'll at least eat the cookie.
As long as it doesn't have nuts, raisins, crunchy bits, or unfamiliar
specks. 
*	I'm not a "baby" person. I couldn't wait for them to be old enough
to have conversations and play board games with me. 
*	On more than one occasion, I've forgotten to pick up a child on
time. My youngest still brings up "that day you forgot about me." 
*	I readily admit: Playgroup was really for the mommies. 
*	I am neither organized enough nor solvent enough to pay a regular
allowance, but sometimes I resort to bribery. I am fully prepared to
negotiate with the terrorists. 
*	At one time or another, I've fallen back on tactics I swore I would
never use on my children, including guilt, yelling, and threats to call the
North Pole. 
*	In 12 years of parenting, I've never spanked, but I do remind them
it's strictly a "one day at a time" abstinence program. 
*	Our tooth fairy is notoriously unreliable. 
*	Sometimes I just vacuum up the LEGOs.

Glad that's off my chest. May I have my breakfast in bed now?



Kyran Pittman lives in Little Rock, AR, and she blogs at
plantingdandelions.com/blog <http://www.plantingdandelions.com/blog> . She
is also the author of, Planting Dandelions: Field Notes from a
Semi-Domesticated Life.
 


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