What are parents thinking?

[LoriLinay]

So Deb, (hstry) can you vouch for my stellar parenting?

[happysinglemom]

I always get a chuckle out of "what are parents thinking when they let their kids out of the house wearing [fill in the blank]"? In my day (the 60's), if mom would let me out of the house in a short skirt, I waited until I got to school, went to the girls' room & started rolling the waistband until it was short enough. I'm sure it was very sexy, that short skirt & big wad of padding around my waist! Then there were the fishnet stockings (OW OW OW!), blue stick eyeshadow up to the eyebrows, and for that last, corpse-imitating touch, white lipstick. And go-go boots. Damn, I was hot!:D

 

Well now - that is very different from my school years. Though I ahd different ideas about what to wear, NEVER would I try dressing like that - or trying to get away with anything like that at school. If my parents found out I'd have been grounded for the rest of the school year (and never mind the smart SLAP I'd have gotten along with it!) I guess that is why I am so much more conservative than some parents.

[hstrybuf]

Lori, most definitely! :D Your kids were so well behaved on the ship! Now as for us, well that's another story! LOL

[stretch]

I just noticed that it's getting close to lunch time. How about some boiled peanuts and a cold beer?

Stretch

[hstrybuf]

You're on Stretch!

[FinelyCruising]

critterchick...you were not hot...you were Mod! :D

 

And for those who weren't around at the time, that was a very high styled Beatle-esque way for a female to look. Quite something.

[LoriLinay]

Tough parenting example...#497

 

Summer of 1974. I was 14, my sister was 17. Neither of us had done particularly well in school the prior year, so when our grades came in the mail, we hid them. What a couple of idiots. Did we destroy them? Did we throw them in the trash? NOOOOOOO....We just stuck them in our dressers. So of course, since we were snotty little things and spoiled rotten, we did not do our own laundry, EVER. Mom was putting our things away and found the "hidden" grades.

 

We got grounded for THE SUMMER. Not a day, not a week, the ENTIRE summer. No bikes, no friends over, no phone. And this was my sisters summer before her senior year.

 

I seem to have turned out okay. LOL... Except for that odd twitching....

 

And I KNOW this will come as a shock, but I have a scar on my inside left wrist from where I got a whack from one of the nuns because....get this...I was SASSY!!! She used a ruler with a metal bar in it. When I got home, my dad said "NOW what did you do?"

 

Okay, here is where I"ll go with this to try and stay sort of on-topic. My parents were NOT my friends back then. That wasn't their job. Tami and Renee down the street were my friends. Not my parents. Now at age 44, I'm watching my dad suffer through end stage cancer. I love him like crazy. He taught me about respect, and hard work, and RULES, and bounderies, and consequences. I fly from Minnesota to Florida to the tune of 17000 FF miles since September, while holding down a full time job and raising 2 kids, to make sure I catch EVERY last moment with him. So you don't have to be a "buddy" to your kids to have them love you forever!!!

 

Holy Cow, I think my 6 martini's are kicking in...

[Shanafan]

It all boils down to the fact that we, as parents, know our kids best. We know that one of our kids may be ready and responsible enough to be left at home for 10 minutes at age 10, and maybe our other one won't be until 13. ( just an example.)

 

I do agree, though, that as hard as it sometimes seems, you have to allow kids to make their own mistakes. Of course, not ones that will cause major problems, but they need to start figuring out how to solve issues on their own. My oldest was 17, almost 18, when she left for college. She was ready---we did the best we could for her while she was under our roof, and think that allowing those baby steps along the way were very helpful.

 

Is it time for Margaritas? I like mine on the rocks-with salt......

[baseballmom]

Be careful what you wish for Water Wish because if you join the Reali Tini cruise, you'll get not only LoriLinay but Elizanessie and (shudder) ME! :D

 

Beth

Hmmm...maybe I should change my plans, too. You all sound like very fun, very wise women. If nothing else, the result of MY level-headed parenting ;) can romp the ship with the others.

[FinelyCruising]

The metal part....yikes I can feel it now.:eek:

[hstrybuf]

Lori, have another one, you deserve it girlfriend.

 

My parents were my parents until I had kids of my own. Then I understood why they set limits and rules and consequences for not doing what was expected. Dad has been gone many years now, lost him to cancer, but I cherish every minute I spent with him and every mile I traveled was worth it. Mom, she's still here, and she's my best friend. I'll be seeing her next week and getting to know my wonderful stepdad better.

[LoriLinay]

Water and Baseball, hop on over and read some of the threads on our group cruise area. We'd love to have you.

[FinelyCruising]

I am beginning to think that all great parents are functional alcoholics.:D

[Shanafan]

I just noticed that it's getting close to lunch time. How about some boiled peanuts and a cold beer?

Stretch

Boiled peanuts?? Is that a southern thing?? Never had them, but sounds like they'd be worth a try.

[hstrybuf]

Wellll, FC, not all, but an occasional drink helps. :D

[LoriLinay]

Deb, I'll never forget my mom coming to visit when my kids were about 2 and 3. Screaming, hungry, tired, dirty pants (and that was just ME)... I looked over at her and she BURST out laughing. And I yelled...."You KNEW all about this, DIDN'T YOU???"

 

She just sat back and said "Yup, your turn now...."

 

I think I called her a "b", and then we both laughed and our relationship has been getting better ever since.

[stbmom]

Nope. I think you will find as your child grows up your point of view over time will change and develop and mature. I think you have sucessfully managed to make incorrect assumptions and regardless of your credentials there are many out there who just know more from practical experince and aging. Belvie me, what is comming is really not at all that bad and at times is just plain wonderful. ;)

I thank you that you feel that my point of view will change. So, I will not feel that cruises are a great way to for kids to see the world. I will not believe that 95% of all children can have success. I will not believe the even a child that has been molested and abused can still achieve. I will not feel that music suggesting raping a woman with a flashlight or punching a woman in the stomach until she miscarries is not the same thing as Elvis singing about blue suede shoes.

Wow, I can wait to be as enlightened as you!

[Shanafan]

I am beginning to think that all great parents are functional alcoholics.:D

Not that there is anything wrong with that. :D Please pass the peanuts.........

[LoriLinay]

OH FINELY, I just burst right out laughing!!!

 

Back in my moms day it was Valium....For me, it's grain alcohol. Hey, whatever keeps ya from killin em!

[nosnobunny]

Hmmm...maybe I should change my plans, too. You all sound like very fun, very wise women. If nothing else, the result of MY level-headed parenting ;) can romp the ship with the others.

 

I can't speak for the others, but I'm not necessarily wise - just old. :p I had to learn some tricks or those 6 girls would have killed me. Now I'm a survivor. :D

 

Beth

[hstrybuf]

ROFL!! Lori, I'm trying to picture you like that! It's just toooooo much! Yeah, we humans use all kinds of tricks to keep from eating our young! :D

[LoriLinay]

You are trying to picture me DRUNK? On our last cruise that you were on with us (oh, bad grammar) I was with my EX husband and my pre-teen kids. AND my parents. You didn't see me any way BUT drunk!!

[Shanafan]

OH FINELY, I just burst right out laughing!!!

 

Back in my moms day it was Valium....For me, it's grain alcohol. Hey, whatever keeps ya from killin em!

Could not have said it better myself! My mom has never had a drink in her life--well, maybe one or two---but I remember every day around 2 pm (as we were piling in from school---all 7 of us )she took her "nerve" pill.

[baseballmom]

 

Okay, here is where I"ll go with this to try and stay sort of on-topic. My parents were NOT my friends back then. That wasn't their job. Tami and Renee down the street were my friends. Not my parents. Now at age 44, I'm watching my dad suffer through end stage cancer. I love him like crazy. He taught me about respect, and hard work, and RULES, and bounderies, and consequences. I fly from Minnesota to Florida to the tune of 17000 FF miles since September, while holding down a full time job and raising 2 kids, to make sure I catch EVERY last moment with him. So you don't have to be a "buddy" to your kids to have them love you forever!!!

 

Holy Cow, I think my 6 martini's are kicking in...

It's 9am here and I haven't even had one martini, D**n it! I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. Both of my parents have been gone for years, but I still miss them like crazy. I did have to laugh about the "parents as friends" comment. My parents were absolutely myparents, not friends, and I have never felt more loved. I enjoy hanging out with my kid, but I'm always the mom -- he has plenty of buddies.

 

The lessons that your dad taught you are the ones you no doubt are teaching your kids and I'm teaching my kid. It's the toughest balancing act there is, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I wrote my first post at Midnight, after working all day, going to a parent-teacher conference, and (of course) attending yet another winter baseball game. I was, and am, incredibly impressed by your posts because of their humor, intelligence, and common sense.

 

Laurie

[LoriLinay]

Baseball, just to let you know....2 of the parents actively posting right now are also raising children with mental and/or physical handicaps. If they weren't level headed, they'd be in the nervous hospital in a special room of rubber!

 

Let's ALL have another Long Island Iced Tea.... wait, when'd I switch? Wasn't I having martinis...

 

And where the He11 are those d@mn peanuts?