More Iffy Parenting Advice

A cup or two daily. It couldn't hurt!

Just in time for Mother's Day, the SJG offers more of my iffy parenting expertise to get you through your life, whatever's left of it. How did I, blogger of silliness, spouter of semi-sensical wisdom, wind up with such nachas-makers, such hilarious and entertaining emerging adults? Sure, they're a bit imperfect, use the f-word, never edit themselves and to this day prefer playing video games to most human encounters. All that aside, they continue to be the source of global non-denominational envy. Why? I'll tell you why. Because they hug and kiss and worship me, no matter how many times I've called them out for expelling gas during one of my spontaneous dance recitals. So. How did I do it? I pretty much gave up and let them do the following character-building things:

- attend a sleepover as long as no one in that house had anything contagious
- have a play date as long as it wasn't at my house
- eat whatever they wanted, as long as they promised to let me clean up after them
- kvetch and kvetch some more, because it's an important life skill
- watch hours of TV as long as they reenacted the funny parts for me, with puppets

- choose their own extracurricular activities, with the exception of pole vaulting, skydiving and stock car racing

- get any grade that didn't get them kicked out of school

- excel in defeat and humility 

- play any instrument I could schlep in my car, transport via U-haul or helicopter

- make their own decisions with a little help from me

You're welcome!