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Great article. #2 reminds me of something Dave Barry said once, the gist of it was "Children have a powerful whining ability to compensate for the fact that they have no other useful skills."
Of course some parents will read this and say, "Oh my, this is what you get from terrible parenting. My child NEVER did [xyz] because I wouldn't allow it!" Well, maybe your child never did "xyz" because you got lucky and it just wasn't in their nature. I guarantee that if you had a child who never threw a tantrum, whined, or chewed with her mouth open, it's not because you were a perfect parent.
And, I have found that most parents who credit their great parenting for their awesome, well-behaved first child, change their tune when they have a second.
Great article. #2 reminds me of something Dave Barry said once, the gist of it was "Children have a powerful whining ability to compensate for the fact that they have no other useful skills."
Of course some parents will read this and say, "Oh my, this is what you get from terrible parenting. My child NEVER did [xyz] because I wouldn't allow it!" Well, maybe your child never did "xyz" because you got lucky and it just wasn't in their nature. I guarantee that if you had a child who never threw a tantrum, whined, or chewed with her mouth open, it's not because you were a perfect parent.
And, I have found that most parents who credit their great parenting for their awesome, well-behaved first child, change their tune when they have a second.
Totally. I always thought I was an awesome parent until I had my fourth. He gave me a run for my money...and still does. Lol!
Great article. #2 reminds me of something Dave Barry said once, the gist of it was "Children have a powerful whining ability to compensate for the fact that they have no other useful skills."
Of course some parents will read this and say, "Oh my, this is what you get from terrible parenting. My child NEVER did [xyz] because I wouldn't allow it!" Well, maybe your child never did "xyz" because you got lucky and it just wasn't in their nature. I guarantee that if you had a child who never threw a tantrum, whined, or chewed with her mouth open, it's not because you were a perfect parent.
And, I have found that most parents who credit their great parenting for their awesome, well-behaved first child, change their tune when they have a second.
^THIS
Kiddo #1 never talked back and never cursed or threw a tantrum. Kiddo #2 made up for that. But if I only had one kid, I would probably be judgmental about people with tantrum kids. I think this gives people with multiple children more perspective. People with 5-6 kids are probably extremely understanding!
Great article. #2 reminds me of something Dave Barry said once, the gist of it was "Children have a powerful whining ability to compensate for the fact that they have no other useful skills."
Of course some parents will read this and say, "Oh my, this is what you get from terrible parenting. My child NEVER did [xyz] because I wouldn't allow it!" Well, maybe your child never did "xyz" because you got lucky and it just wasn't in their nature. I guarantee that if you had a child who never threw a tantrum, whined, or chewed with her mouth open, it's not because you were a perfect parent.
And, I have found that most parents who credit their great parenting for their awesome, well-behaved first child, change their tune when they have a second.
+1, great post. Repped for it.
And I'll add that all kids at some point have thrown a tantrum, whined, etc. That's no big deal. But as a parent of an uber difficult child (the world thinks so, not just me), I say this list is pretty tame. It is geared towards kids in the normal range.
People are so dumb. I've met oodles of parents with amazingly well behaved children. I get envious at times. They think they are the most awesome people in the world and are horrified at others who's children are not as well behaved. Ha! They are blessed with compliant children!
I'm an awesome parent and my wife is much more awesome of a parent. You'd never know it though. Judging people's parenting by the way their kids behave is terribly invalid.
People like us, who have very non compliant kids don't judge. We know things.
Love it
I admit I was guilty of buying into the parenting books that said kids tantrum and whine to get their way and as long as you don't give in they'll stop. Triple hah. I was given a kid who was constantly unhappy between the ages 1-3 and would melt down constantly, all.the.time. There was nothing that would distract him or make him happy because HE didn't know what would make him happy, he wasn't screaming to get something, he was just.screaming. I wish I could credit us handling it right for him finally growing out of it, but really he just needed to grow out of it and get more emotionally mature, I don't think there was anything we could've done differently.
Now when I see a parent with a tantruming kid in public I'm symphatetic, not judgmental (and secretly grateful its not me)
I totally thought I had the parenting thing down with my son when he was 1. I mean, it wasn't my first rodeo between step kids, being a nanny and foster kids. But he was just so happy and easy that we adopted his sister when he was a year old (not planned. But I was sure I had it in the bag).
OMG!!!! Love that girl to death but she is 8 and finally able to control tantrums most of the time. She has perfected the art of whining so it doesn't even sound like whining. She has pulled my pants down in public once! Good lord, this girl of mine.
But I always joke if she was my first I would have thought I was an expert potty trainer as she did it in one day at 2 years old with only one prompt from me. Then again she had watched the year long process it took to potty train her big brother.
My son learned to read at 4.5y. My daughter at 8 is still struggling. The list goes on.
Yeah, I think people take good luck as signs of good parenting. Kids are humans....not a lump of clay.
Oh my, yes. My first two were really easy babies and toddlers, so I of course attributed it being the Best Mom Ever. And then along came my third child... From the minute I went into labor, straight through the first 3 years, he gave me a run for my money! Screamed all day long for the first year, projectile vomited every time cried, refused anything except the breast until he was 18 months old, demanded to be carried until he was nearly 3, fought me tooth and nail on every gd thing from weaning to potty training to types of clothes he would wear. But then he turned 4 and it was like a switch was flipped: now he is the funniest, most laid-back, independent kid; he is so much easier than the older two are now.
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