Playing with Colton and Emma (My little MaMa)

The Birthday Boy

The Cake and Decorations

Here, Here!

So, here we go. I'm all riled up right now after reading 10 Mistakes that Parents Make. It's about time more parents thought like author, Craig Playstead.

I'm tired of new-age parents who don't discipline their kids. When did kids start having 'rights' that went beyond food, shelter and love? I love Jack, but because I love him, I will keep a disciplined and structured environment. I'm not talking about a military-style home, but a home built on mutual respect with the parents as the leaders. Also, when did bribing kids to do work become the standard? If my son expects to be a member of our household, he'll contribute to it like Jamie and I do (within reason).

To me, some of these parents don't discipline for a variety of reasons:

• They want to be their kids' friends.
• They are too lazy or tired. (Busy parents have less time with their kids and it's tempting to give in to kids during the evening hours just to make the night go by more pleasantly.)
• They don't want to 'hurt' the kids' self-esteem.

The problem with kids these days is that they have too much self-esteem and too little self-control. I want Jack to grow up to be confident in his abilities, but not feel entitled to the world catering to his needs. There are rights that we all have, but then there are privileges that we have to work for.

I don't know when this all started. I'm 31 and many older generations could probably point to my age group as being selfish and out-of-control; however, at work many of the college and high school interns seem to lack the basics of being a part of a team atmosphere and seem to have an attitude when expected to do--or not to do--certain things.

In the store I constantly seen harried parents give in to whining children. If Jack whined like that, the only thing I would give him is a swift smack in the rear. Now, I don't advocate child abuse and would only spank or swat after other methods of discipline, such as public humiliation or deprivation of a favorite thing, were to fail. But a firm reminder on a bottom serves as a reminder of who is in control.

Favorite Thing: Daddy

Jack loves Daddy because Daddy is more rough-and-tumble. I blame Daddy for instilling a crazy sense of adventure and death-defying action seeking in Jack, but Jack sees Daddy as a good ol' pal.

Some of the things Jack loves about his Daddy: Daddy holds him upside down and shakes him around (not too hard, of course). Daddy makes funny faces and accompanying noises. Daddy encourages Jack's farts. Daddy cuddles and kisses, too.


Speaking of adventure....Jack has also learned a new favorite thing: the joy of being naked, coupled with the thrill of hiding from Mommy so she can't catch him.

Favorite Thing: Chewies

Chewies have quickly become a way of life. Jack will--as the name implies--chew on them and snuggle with them when he's tired or cranky. When in a playful mood, he likes to put them on top of his head. I also like to put them on top of his head.

While in reality a chewie is just a cloth diaper, it holds a lot of significance for me. At the baby shower that Jack's Auntie Tara and Auntie Andrea held for us, they had everyone decorate a cloth diaper with fabric markers. Everyone had a unique design and each one is special to us.

Favorite Thing: Books

Jack has been flipping through his own board books for quite a few months now. Now that he's muy, muy mobile, he's starting to flip through my books, too (and is right now as I type). He's very gentle with them, and except for the occasional gnawing (see a gummy The Autobiography of my Mother in the first picture), I don't worry about him and the books.

Crap. Just had to take a pic and upload it. He's definitely not stuck in functional fixedness. He's found that Bastard out of Carolina and Woman Warrior make a good step stools!