What I Wish…

I came across an interesting article today. And by interesting, it made me roll my eyes and sigh audibly for my husband to say “what is your problem?!” The article in question can be found here- “What I wish parents knew”: Doctors, teachers, therapists, and more weigh in. If I had opted for a longer title, it would have been “What I Wish OTHER parents, doctors, teachers and therapists knew”. I’m not an expert in these things, just a mom, trying not to screw up her 2 kids too badly, I can only afford so much therapy, you know?

The first point was- Slather on Sunscreen. I agree with this one. Whenever I see someone sunburned I casually say “have you heard of this awesome invention called sunscreen?!” My 19 year old self should have listened to that advice since I gave myself almost 2nd degree burns and heat stroke. (In my defense, it was foggy. Who knew you can get a sunburn in the fog? I do now!)

Let’s just stick with the ones that bothered me, shall we? Go low-carb in the morning. Well, “experts” you’ve never met my kids then have you? Jillian only eats carbs (for the most part…) and Lauren gets too hungry without them. But they’re not eating sugary stuff for breakfast, nope! I hide it from them and I eat sugary stuff. Jokes on you, experts!

A mild fever is no reason to panic. I guess you’ve never met Jillian. Jillian is the queen of waking up fine, having a mild fever by lunch and roaring at 104.5 by 2pm. So yes. For me, and my family, a mild fever IS a reason to panic.

Don’t offer a kids’ menu at home. Oh “experts”! How you’re making me laugh! “Parents say to me, ‘I make dinner and little Johnny doesn’t eat it, so I make him a grilled cheese.’ I guarantee if you don’t make the grilled cheese, he’ll eat dinner. Every child has an appetite.” Again, I need to introduce you to Jillian. The child who will go DAYS without eating if I don’t offer her what she wants. But no worries, she’s been tested and it’s not behavioural. She actually has an aversion. Hm. Imagine that. A REASON why a child won’t eat something. Oh and Lauren? She doesn’t eat much meat. I can guarantee she wouldn’t eat for days if all I offered her was a hamburger. She makes up for it with her blond hair and love for vegetables. Seriously, “experts” you’re making this post just too easy.

Taking scissors to her own bangs isn’t the real problem. Oh please enlighten me!! I think taking scissors to bangs is a problem. The problem being (usually) parents forgetting to put scissors away. But!! Kids are smart! They’ll use pretty much anything to get a job done that they set their sights on!

Conquer molehills, not mountains. Can anyone else see a problem with this one?? I mean, I’m raising two girls. Two girls I want to be able to fight their OWN battles. Right now? They see me fighting theirs (mostly Jillian’s) and I’m not a molehill kind of person. I aim high. And I want to teach my kids they can do that too. And to them? Molehill problems will probably SEEM like mountains. Heck, molehill problems for me seem like mountains and I’m 30 years old!!

Alright. That’s enough from my peanut gallery. Do you all have anything to add?!

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