You know which book I'm talking about... the one featured on Oprah... the one EVERY parent has run out to grab in haste... Yeah, that one...
You know, I grew up probably the pickiest eater ever and I turned out fine. No, I didn't like vegetables much unless it was a potato (still don't actually) but I'm not sure the answer is running ourselves haggard by pureeing them and mixing them in? Sometimes these things get acquired over time. Jamie happens to LOVE tomatoes (one of those things I hate...) and I'm more than happy to purchase them and give them to him in plain sight. He doesn't like broccoli and not a huge fan of spaghetti (oddly) but I've noticed that if I read to him a funny book about silly food items or he sees it in his favorite cartoon, he'll actually give it a try! I'm not going to set myself up to fail by trying to meet impossible standards (for me at least). I'm seriously tired of doing this.
The biggest problem I'm dealing with as a mom in this day and age is trying to meet these insane standards people set! Jamie isn't in a Montessori preschool because we can't afford it and I certainly don't have enough patience to teach him at home. I don't always want to play with him because I know he'd be just fine using his own imagination. He usually just wants me to do all the work so he can just watch me build/color/dance whatever, I know him lol. We can't afford to buy him name brand clothing or those fancy boutique outfits everyone raves about. He plays dirty so I'm okay with Goodwill sweat pants and tees... he'll never know nor will he care. I am not always the most nutritious mother either but I make up for it in vitamins :P He's not enrolled in piano lessons or tap classes but he hasn't expressed interest either.
If you're a parent that does all of this COOL :) Don't be offended, I'm not trying to disrespect anyone's parenting skills. I'm trying make myself feel better :) What is most important is that I love him.
3 comments:
It's just parenting in the information-saturated, web 2.0, age... where parents google everything, blog authoritatively on all aspects of childrearing, and follow Oprah like the new messiah.
Like you said, our generation survived without pureed or camouflaged vegetables. Some of us gagged trying to get then down, and some of us threw them under the table to the family dog, but none of us died of malnutrition-related diseases and our brains developed just fine (at least I uh... think they did).
Part of me thinks it's paranoia on most parent's part. The need to control things because so many other aspects of kids lives are slipping out of their grasp.
Just do what works for you and your kid, and love him/her the best you can ;)
Guess what my kids didn't grow up with all the fancy stuff. I simply told them I don't have it and the secret to it all is that the big company make the same things you find at Walmart, Target etc etc etc. In fact my kid prefer shopping at those store instead of the big stores. They have grown to love the value of a buck. They see kids with expensive clothes and such. They know they got much more clothes for the same as what some one paid for one outfit.
As of what you can afford. Keeping yourself from keeping up with the Jones is the secret of today society. People with the fancy cars and electrically gagdets that come out every year is really not worth it. But guess what my dear the Jones are slowly going under now because having two car notes, credit cards and over price mortages are now biting people in the butt in the end. Many of thoses Jones have lost so much due to the fact, our ecomony has now bottomed out.
The secret that I have learn in the many years of marriage, and growing kids. I refused to do certain things due the fact I over extended myself a few times. But know what I can afford so much. I am almost done paying off all the debts that I acquried learning to live in the "me era" or "got to have it, now era". Now I learn to budget were if I can't pay it off within few months or pay cash up front it is not worth having. Many things have cost me way too much in just interest alone.
The only thing that I spend too much money on and that is saving money to spend on my kids. They get a certain amount every year and that is what I save the most for. But guess what I paid cash down, on layaways and such and getting those present early that I have finally gotten a hold of spending too much. Last year me and my hubby did without to make sure that I kids had a good christmas.
I have been blessed with great kids. That have supported me through my own schooling and done good themselves. And I count my blessing every year for that so that is my reward to them. To be there each holiday with them and do give them this special things they have done without. At this time of year for them alone. It cost me in many ways but like yourself being the best parent isn't what I cannot afford it is what you can do.
Guess what you are only creating memories and bonds that can last a lifetime. My 18 year son still calls me mommy in front of his friends and expects a kiss to this day. In front if his friends doesn't matter. Many mom's are envious of such affections. My he has those memories of having nothing and getting the most precious things. The love and respect of having their mommy around.
Our society is two working parents now and days and we have sacrifice our children. But two those you have of succeeded on keeping those strong bond my hats off to them But guess what this is the hardest job is keeping our children with us and not losing them to society bottom feeders.
You keep up the good work. Your doing just find. They don't give us a manual on how to succeed to be great parents and they money to back it up. They give us good parents so we have learn to become good parents ourselves. Keep up the good work.
Well said Sis. hats off. I think we all need to read this and look at it in our own perspective. Again well said. Thank you. Oh by the when the hell did you become such an inspirational writter :P Thanks again. love ya
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