Time to Step up and be a Parent

I observed a few things this last week that might generate a few blogs, simply because one blog would be far too long to keep the average person's attention.

On Saturday, my daughter had her hair trimmed and a few subtle highlights put in her hair. 1) I didn't want to do the highlights--Catholic school and colored hair rules, though the 'color' part has to do with COLORS, not just streaks, and 2) I didn't want her to have 'bangs' because the last time she had bangs she complained about them during the entire growing out process . . . over six months of complaining.

So, of course, the hubs convinced me that she should have both. *sigh*

She doesn't look like a 6th grader does she? I know I didn't look like THAT when I was a sixth grader!

Here's bonus pic of the two of us. Both of us were wearing sneakers, but the height difference is noticeable even without her trying to be taller--see the lifted chin?

So back to my parenting comments.

I will mention that my hair stylist and her salon are very current. The salon is affiliated with Paul Mitchell and they have numerous hoops to jump through with their cutting and color techniques. My personal hairdresser is too cool also--young, hip, hair dyed an interesting pinky-purple and a ton of tats. She also does numerous hair shows a year in various parts of the country. This salon is very upscale.

Anyhoo, as I was sitting a waiting another mother waited to hand her three daughter's off to various stylists before booking it out of there--probably for a coffee at the Barnes & Noble next door. It was the conversation she was having with her girls that perked my attention.

The three girls were probably between 9 and 13 years old. They wanted to see THE CROODS, but mom was trying to convince them to see some other movie. I don't know what movie this might be, but the problem I had with the mom was her selfish attitude about the whole thing.

Look, Mom, if you want to see an inappropriate movie--do it on your own time.

THE CROODS movie is a wonderful, child-friendly story, with just enough adult humor to keep the parents happy. And I don't mean sexually-explicit adult humor that is rampant across most TV channels, but the day to day stuff parents will 'get', but might go over a child's head depending on age. It made me cry, but it also made me very, very happy. I love leaving the movie theater with a huge smile on my face.

Parents are always blaming society for the loss of innocence in their children. Well, maybe it's time to finally be accountable for your actions as a parent. Don't blame TV, movies, video games for your lack of parenting skills . . . blame yourself.

As a parent and the adult in the relationship, you must make choices for your child until they are mature enough to make choices for themselves. Sometimes you allow them just enough free rein to become entangled in a mess, then you have to tighten the reins again before you slowly ease them out again.

As a parent, we also hope and pray that some of these lessons sink in. That we've instilled in our children enough morals, self-worth, courage, and common sense to make the appropriate decision for the occasion, because we won't always be there to guide them.

Being a parent is all about making the hard choices. I'm not my daughter's BFF, but then I don't want to be . . . yet. I'm her example, her rock, and a shoulder to cry on.

I'm a Mom.

Something to think about.

Later, Peeps!