Can you parent with a sense of humor? Being a authority figure and a friend?
I think so?
Saturday was supposed to be dinner with another couple. Instead, their babysitter crapped out, so they arrived with their 2 year old in tow. I prepared myself for a night of annoyance. Just in case.
Not so worried about the kid being annoying, because who can blame the kid? I constantly judge the parenting, in an attempt to find my own parenting path (Even though I have nothing to test my parenting skills with, at the moment.)
Luckily the parents were mellow, easy going, loving, and everyone had a fun time because of it. Including the child, who couldn't have been happier or more pleasant, even when she had to apply herself to get attention from the parents, for what ever reason (Cough, cough ... Guitar Hero.)
Parenting is not easy, I know this. I've never pretended to think this. But there is a certain mellowness that it should be approached with.
I know this from being the go to babysitter, among my friends. I know this from having to quell quarrels over blocks, from accidentally trying to fit a 2 year old in an infant jumper, and cleaning gag inducing diaper mishaps, that I hope to never see the likes of again. I watch my niece and nephew overnight on a monthly basis. When they treat me like the substitute teacher, I rise to the occasion and deprogram them without fail.
Am I fooling myself when I think I can be both the go to fun-guy and the authority figure?
It's all a matter of meaning what you say, follow through, and talking to / treating the child as an equal. Something this world could use a little more of, in general.
I've been thinking about being a parent for a long time. Figuring out how I would like to raise my future child. Maybe I'll stick to my guns, and maybe I'll feed them a bowl of coco-puffs every night for dinner. Either way, I'll love that child. And maybe then I'll understand all the oddities that I witness in my child raising friends.
So after dinner, we all came back to our place for a little Guitar Hero. The parents had never played before, and were instantly hooked (it is more fun than it should be.) Jokes about child neglect and the two year old drinking out of the toilet bowl were flying around, as the parents enjoyed themselves.
The two year old was running around with our dog Aimee (an 8lb Miniature Pincher,) chasing her till she got bored. Then our dog would chase the girl, till she was bored.
At one point, the two year old's curiosity got the best of her, and she poked Aimee square in the poop hole.
The world didn't end, no one was crying, no one was in trouble, and suddenly my question had been answered.
4 comments:
You and B-dawg would be the best parents ever. Seriously! I will get them little rock and roll onesies.
I do struggle with the same questions, but ultimately I think we're all going to be fine parents. Plus, smart, cool, global-minded people need to have kids since the dumbshts seem to like having tons.
So should I start knittin the booties now? And yes, you can be fun and tough, and they only sort of cancel each other out. Sort of.
"It's all a matter of meaning what you say, follow through, and talking to / treating the child as an equal. Something this world could use a little more of, in general."
Thank you for summing up so beautifully my exact feelings about being a good teacher. This is exactly how I try to treat my students... and it works!
I'm just glad that someone else poked bat-dog in the poop-hole besides me. I felt 'dirty' thinking that I was the only one.
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