A Surprisingly Sane Blog

You may remember my “Get Your Head Out Of Your Arse” blog from a while ago.  If you don’t, go back and check it out because today’s bitching falls right in step with what I had to say then.

Since I wrote that blog, my thoughts and feelings haven’t changed… however, unfortunately, I am consistently finding that there are more than just a few people who seem to think there is ONE WAY to parent a child- their way- and everyone else is an idiot or wrong in the parenting style they choose.  Or somehow, their choice is simply superior.

You know, that’s like saying there’s only one way to pick your nose.  Or masturbate.  Or eat a damn sandwich.

Who is so close-minded that they think that taking a bite out of the whole sandwich is the best way to do it?  I mean, I watch my own daughter open her sandwich and lick the peanut butter and jelly out before actually eating the bread.  Would I choose do that?  No.

But it works for her, and the sandwich still gets eaten.  And there is no way that I would try to force her to eat the darn thing the same way I do.

Parenting, discipline, and all the choices that have to be made when you decide (or God decides for you) to procreate fall into the same kind of category.

To co-sleep, or not to co-sleep?  Breast or bottle?  Spank or not to spank?

Much like buying a fucking dildo, those are all very personal choices.  Just because I might choose the vibrating pink flower-shaped one doesn’t mean that it’s the right size or shape for other women.

I think parenting style, discipline in particular, works very differently depending on the personalities of both the parent and the individual child.

Being a teacher, I experienced this first hand on a daily basis.  It was one of the biggest lessons I learned in dealing with a class full of little people.   Some kids thrived on being told how to do something.  Others did great with positive reinforcement.  Some did better with timeout from reinforcement.  Some would only listen if I talked it out with them privately.  Giving choices so they could make a decision that resulted in natural consequences worked wonders for others.  And then there were still others who simply learned best from example.

And then there were the kids who wouldn’t listen no matter what I or any other teacher did.  Those kids?  They were so used to getting their way and walking all over their parents that they felt they were simply above any kind of discipline… and everyone else, for that matter.  Those were the kids who will (sadly) probably never amount to anything because they were impossible to work with.

I’m willing to bet that a good spank on the tush would have gotten those ones to listen.

Yes, you read that correctly.

If you think that one particular way of doing things is going to work for everyone, you are either A) a complete narcissist, B) retarded, C) totally freaking naive, D) you need to get out more often and open your eyes, E) your head is stuck too far up your ass to get a view of the real world.

Wake up.  There is NEVER just one way to do things.  And just because your style has resulted in a happy family doesn’t mean that it would work for mine.

Ugh.  Seriously, grow up and smell the coffee.  Diversity in every way is a beautiful thing.

Current Mood: Mischievous