I love my kids. They didn't happen by accident. We actually had to try and have them. So I didn't come into parenthood accidentally like some do. It was on purpose and by choice. I knew I was going to have to make sacrifices and never quite have privacy ever again. It was still something that I happily ran towards.
So fast forward ten years and I have become mean and unfair according to some parents and my children. Oh well. They can deal with it. My kids do not have TVs in their room and have limited electronic time each day and only if their chores are done. Oh yes, my children have chores. They have things that they are expected to do around the house. If things are not done then they don't get to do fun stuff. Even my two year old is expected to throw her diapers away (we are starting to potty train), put her dishes in the sink and help pick up her toys.
We all want to our children to have more than what we had growing up. I think where parents differ is on how they define more. To some its more stuff and less responsibility. And that is their right I guess. I actually thought about this quite a bit this week. What was the more that I want to give my kids?
My conclusion was that it had nothing to do with stuff at all. I want them to have more opportunities than I did. I want them to try more things than I was able to do. I want them to find more out of life earlier than I did. I want them to have more.
LOL, I am a real meany then. My kids get Saturday morning video games like we used to get Saturday morning cartoons, IF they have a good week. They don't have any electronics in their bedroom. They got to use them too much this summer and their behavior wasn't what I wanted, so we took them away and started a marble jar. They are back on track with everything. They do a lot of chores and stack firewood! If they don't pick up their toys I give them away. I set a timer. I'm mean. They aren't going to grow up and be unable to take care of themselves and their things, or unable or unwilling to provide for themselves. Fast forward 15 years and see which kids are still living at home. :) I wanted to have kids too but I didn't want them to be dependent on us forever. Doing it all for them is a sure fire way to have your kids with you forever.
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