June 6, 2010

The fine line of parenting

It’s important to provide a mellow bedtime routine to help kids transition to sleep. The books tell you that.

But it’s equally important to boogie to Lady Gaga’s Telephone while getting jammies on – creating laughter and memories. My heart tells me that.

It’s important to provide nutritious, balanced meals and limit unhealthy snacks. The experts tell you that.

But sometimes it’s okay to have cake for dinner or ice cream for lunch. The smiles tell me that.

It’s important to teach proper table manners when kids are young. It will prepare them for when they live in an adult world.

But it’s also okay to giggle and make up silly words at the dinner table from time to time. It reminds us that being a kid is such a short window of time.

You’re supposed to let your children grow and mature, right before your eyes. Everyone knows that.

But when your babies are about to turn five, all you want to do is hold them, and kiss them and snuggle all day with them. I could tell you that.

8 Comments

  1. Melt…

    Comment by Feistykel — June 6, 2010 @ 4:39 pm

  2. Awww…
    PS – Let me know when you are having ice cream for lunch and I’ll be there. ;)

    Comment by Deanna — June 6, 2010 @ 6:58 pm

  3. Amazingly perfect. The look on my daughters face when we finally gave in, after two years of begging every time we visit the local diner, and getting the chocolate cake was totally worth the extra calories and sugar. Kids need to be kids, and that’s part of the reason we’re parents!

    Comment by RobMonroe — June 7, 2010 @ 4:20 am

  4. I know. I hate the expression, where has the time gone? After all, that’s what time does. It goes on. And on. And we watch these wonderful, miraculous babies of our grow, and learn, and tumble, and fall. And yet…where does the time go? My baby is 5 now, turned 5 in February. She’ll start kindergarten in the fall. And while she’s been in daycare for years, this is somehow…different.

    Happy Upcoming B-Day to your sweethearts. [Whenever that day is] – cake for lunch and laughing at burps for dinner. :)

    Comment by Val — June 7, 2010 @ 6:11 pm

  5. Indeed. All of it. Mine are about to turn 7 & 5 and I want them to STOP IT!!

    Comment by Pgoodness — June 8, 2010 @ 5:11 pm

  6. Something about moderation, yes?

    Comment by Miss Britt — June 9, 2010 @ 6:55 am

  7. Very nicely done. Invokes all sorts of memories when I was a kid to reminders of what I will be doing soon with my 7 month old.

    Comment by Heerow — June 9, 2010 @ 11:57 am

  8. Oh that is so precious. And I think you’re right. I think balance is the key, teaching good habits INCLUDES moderation, and knowing that the occasional treat is okay. That is how you avoid obsessive behavior and binging as adults. Look how many of us have that problem! :)

    And oh my goodness, almost five? Give them an extra extra tight hug. :)

    Comment by Kellee — June 15, 2010 @ 7:16 pm

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