Easier Said Than Done

I found a bunch of parenting quotes which I want to capture here.

Sometimes I find quotes like these inspiring and supportive. Other times they are nagging and stressful.

I was talking with a friend yesterday about how punishment doesn’t really work with older kids. It just feels cruel and futile. The teenage years worry me. I have no plan. No learned skills. I did read one parenting book but I forget now what it said. I’m just going to wing it. Or Google it.

I know a few parents who want to fix their children. Some kids just seem to find life harder than others. I think the parent’s role in this case is to tell their child that they are OK just the way they are. The rest of the world is knocking them down. They don’t need that at home too.

My personal theory is that the smart, misfits often end up having the most amazing lives. Instead of living boring lives with 1.8 children and a cubicle desk job, I suspect the misfit kids are the ones who bust out and do something different.

This is the hard part. When my daughter loses it. I am a panicker. A worrier. Anxious as hell. When my daughter loses it, so do I. Well, inside I do. Outside too sometimes.

I’ve been trying to just listen, let her know she’s been heard and not suggest solutions. It’s what I want, when I am down. I want to be heard. I can usually solve it myself. Often there is nothing to do anyway. It blows over and everyone moves on.

I think I’ve been blessed with a good kid. She was born an angel. So sometimes I think I might get through the teenage years unscathed. Other times, I think of all her genes – her eccentric uncles, her bold aunt, her party-hard dad. Really, when I think about it, apart from quiet, shy, book-worm me and my mum, my whole family is a nightmare. God help me!

Looking For Something Else….