I don’t even have kids yet but I found myself going “Yes! This!” several times while reading this. All for screen-time-less meals and grounded birthday parties and real conversations with our female friends.
Kid free talk is imperative. Yes the first 6 months your brain is hijacked by the sleep deprived / paranoid / sleep schedule obsessive monster, but after that there’s virtually no excuse!
All the yeses! Also on the out list - aggressive spirit weeks that don’t align within different schools of the same district and making every holiday an experience that parents feel the need to participate in. When did leprechaun traps and antics become a thing?!?
Yes!! In with the old ways of celebrating a holiday (special foods, homemade decor, same thing every year instead of something new) and out to Valentine’s Day gifts for children, Easter gifts, Halloween gifts. I will be letting the chocolate flow freely and discarding the rest. Farewell to that elf and the shelf he rode in on!!
Hi! Loved this and as a European mom of 2 I can just say Yes to all of it! I would add that it's also ok to have your own set of boundaries and say No to your kid: to a piece of clothing you don't approve of but that they want, ice cream for breakfast, throwing apple sauce everywhere, eat a crepe from the floor, color on the walls - I am sure they will probably thank us later!
I couldn't agree more! Gentle / permissive parenting has gotten out of control in recent years; I think it's high time we bring back firm boundaries supported by nothing more than being the authority figure!
Heavy on the "Fitting kids into your life, not vice versa."
I don't have kids (yet) but some people look at me like a freak when I say I may want a singular child because I don't think my life/sanity can accommodate more than one!
Oh I still think I might prefer one child so I can take her to Paris on a whim and not overflow my living room with kid shit! But obviously I’m a masochist 😂 Totally get it though!
Move over to the gulf coast! Parenting is way more laid back here, less keeping up with Joneses, birthday parties are simple, and very family friendly. I have a friend who moved here from Miami and said she feels like she’s on vacation now because such a less stressful scene.
Love this list and feel seen. My 18-month old daughter also hates sleep and often goes to sleep at 10 or 10:30pm and I know the look of horror that other moms give when you say that!
LOL i feel like ppl think that its ALL on the parents and that we can somehow force our kids to sleep 12h a night straight through the right "routine". even when she was on a strict routine and in bed at 7:30 she woke up at 5am EVERY MORNING! kids are wired differently and ppl need to accept that.
Omg that one is the worst. Decision shaming is EVERYWHERE. Every time I admit that my daughter goes to bed late (she hates sleeping, ok?!), I get this very specific look that makes me feel like I’m feeding her uppers at night!
I don’t even have kids yet but I found myself going “Yes! This!” several times while reading this. All for screen-time-less meals and grounded birthday parties and real conversations with our female friends.
Kid free talk is imperative. Yes the first 6 months your brain is hijacked by the sleep deprived / paranoid / sleep schedule obsessive monster, but after that there’s virtually no excuse!
All the yeses! Also on the out list - aggressive spirit weeks that don’t align within different schools of the same district and making every holiday an experience that parents feel the need to participate in. When did leprechaun traps and antics become a thing?!?
YES!!! it's such a hge waste of money and energy for parents who have a million other things to do...
Yes!! In with the old ways of celebrating a holiday (special foods, homemade decor, same thing every year instead of something new) and out to Valentine’s Day gifts for children, Easter gifts, Halloween gifts. I will be letting the chocolate flow freely and discarding the rest. Farewell to that elf and the shelf he rode in on!!
couldn't agree more.. it's SO wasteful and dwindles the holidays down to nothing but endless consumerism
Hi! Loved this and as a European mom of 2 I can just say Yes to all of it! I would add that it's also ok to have your own set of boundaries and say No to your kid: to a piece of clothing you don't approve of but that they want, ice cream for breakfast, throwing apple sauce everywhere, eat a crepe from the floor, color on the walls - I am sure they will probably thank us later!
I couldn't agree more! Gentle / permissive parenting has gotten out of control in recent years; I think it's high time we bring back firm boundaries supported by nothing more than being the authority figure!
Heavy on the "Fitting kids into your life, not vice versa."
I don't have kids (yet) but some people look at me like a freak when I say I may want a singular child because I don't think my life/sanity can accommodate more than one!
Oh I still think I might prefer one child so I can take her to Paris on a whim and not overflow my living room with kid shit! But obviously I’m a masochist 😂 Totally get it though!
Move over to the gulf coast! Parenting is way more laid back here, less keeping up with Joneses, birthday parties are simple, and very family friendly. I have a friend who moved here from Miami and said she feels like she’s on vacation now because such a less stressful scene.
Wait I thought I was on the gulf coast! Which state are you in?
Love this list and feel seen. My 18-month old daughter also hates sleep and often goes to sleep at 10 or 10:30pm and I know the look of horror that other moms give when you say that!
LOL i feel like ppl think that its ALL on the parents and that we can somehow force our kids to sleep 12h a night straight through the right "routine". even when she was on a strict routine and in bed at 7:30 she woke up at 5am EVERY MORNING! kids are wired differently and ppl need to accept that.
Yes to all of this! Also adding decision-shaming to the “Out” list (daycare vs. nanny, breastfeeding vs. not… the list goes on).
Omg that one is the worst. Decision shaming is EVERYWHERE. Every time I admit that my daughter goes to bed late (she hates sleeping, ok?!), I get this very specific look that makes me feel like I’m feeding her uppers at night!
Hahaha you’re too funny! But YES it’s the worst. We are doing our best! Leave us alone!
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Great post Marina ! As a mother of two I agree on all resolutions ! Spot on!
Thank you Lemonia!!