"Mafia Parenting"

You had a kid, you parent the kid. That's what I thought all along. I was wrong(I am usually never right in these things in case you missed the memo). I am not going to link up here but Wikipedia has an entire section on "Parenting Styles". Who would have thought? Well, I did. I started to think what my style is. And the answer was, "Mafia Style". Do what we tell you to do and you will be rewarded. Try funny business and you will get the consequences for it.You can come up with your own name for your parenting style but at the end of the day it's all give and take. I always make V an "Offer that he won't refuse".

Few weeks ago, my friend was telling me how she was called "mean mom" for not letting her 4 year old go to a different neighborhood by himself. I told her that the day V says, "You are so mean mom", would be the day I will pat myself in the back and say, "Good job". The only time your kid calls you mean mom or mean dad is when you are making sure they stay out of trouble. And I am sure this conversation sounds very familiar to all the parents out there (Including my own).

"But but but, A's mom lets them do it"
"You are more than welcome to go stay with A"
"ugggg"
"There are things A's parents do that we don't and there are things we do that A's parents don't"

Lather, rinse and repeat. We all want to be perfectly rational, super patient parents. And I know some of you out there are. Well, I am not. Sometimes I like to say, "Why should you do it? Because I said so dammit. And don't you dare say dammit again." Oh yes, I do. Is it fun to sit down and play monopoly with him. Yes, it is. But are there days when I don't feel like doing it and let him watch buubleguppies instead. Hell yeah!

Somehow, these kind of posts are expected to end with a note where I tell you how much I love V no matter what. Well, guess what, I am not going to tell you. I will say this though. Question my love for him, you will have no idea what's about to hit you ;). And if you question V about his love for me, he will say the same.