Parenting

Friday night I volunteered in the concession stand for the football game. I had to be there at 4:30 and didn't leave until after 11. I was in the visitor's concession stand, which is out of the way and not busy at all. I was the only customer for most of the first half. In the third quarter, the visiting band came and bought food. We ended up doing $131 dollars in business. I believe the home stand did a few thousand. But, the other mom was very nice and we chatted and I was happy to support the band. We shut down after the third quarter and helped out in the home stand, which was much busier and had a view of the football game. As I was hauling stuff from the away to the home stand, I walked right in front of the band and Jack jumped up and loudly started yelling, "mom, mom, hi mom!". It reminded me of when they were little and always looked for us in the audience during their school performances. So cute and sweet and it made my night worthwhile. 

Anna has been having a little bit of trouble with her friend, Marie (fake name). Apparently, Marie's dad thinks we are too strict and Anna is boring and is going to "go wild" in a few years. And, Marie repeated all of that to Anna and has since made additional comments about how we need to loosen up and not push her so much (that was in reaction to Anna telling her we were going to volunteer this weekend to start accumulating hours for Bright Futures). Obviously, it has been bothering Anna. It doesn't hurt my feelings or make me question our parenting choices, but I do feel bad for Anna and I wonder what she has said to Marie that Marie repeated to her father that lead to the conversation. I am not sure why a grown man feels the need to insult our child or our parenting to his daughter, but it has created a bit of a rift for Anna in one of her previously strongest friendship. 

If parenting is a sliding scale, then we are certainly closer to strict than lenient. But, I can't think of a lot that our kids want to do that we have not allowed. Some of the things (like getting their own phone or wearing makeup) we made them wait for and we still don't allow social media (yet), so maybe we are strict. But, I still wouldn't say "too strict." Our goal is to ease them into this world so that they are prepared to build up to the bigger decisions. Now that they are in high school, I do believe Jack and Anna are ready to make some of those bigger decisions, but their brains are still growing and it in my opinion, it would be completely irresponsible for us not to be active participants in their lives. We are doing our best to raise strong, independent children with the ability to think for themselves and make good decisions. Obviously, we are making mistakes along the way and we know that they will too, but we do our best and keep moving along. Oh, and hopefully this goes without saying, but just in case--I assume that all parents are doing their best and do not generally judge the decisions others make.