Secret Secrets

Isn't it funny the things we keep secret? 

Here are a few of mine Shhhh, don't tell:

Parenting Ideas: Confessions

I realized, after reading THIS that too most of my Facebook posts and blog entries indicate I'm living up to a near-perfect mommy standard that is fictional, simply because I don't want to be negative. 

Parenting Ideas: Praise

When my children were young I felt inspired (yes, I do that sometimes) that I should be generous with praise for their good choices and obedience, as a way to encourage them to continue doing such. In a way, raising kids is similar to training a dog-- you give a command, they respond well, you tell them they did a great job and the next time the command is given, they'll remember the outpouring of approval from you and they'll want that again, so they will respond well again. Hopefully, right? I've never had a dog, I'm just going on what I've seen on TV and read...

Parenting Ideas: Guilt

Sometimes guilt gets in my way. As a mom, I feel guilty about a myriad of (frequently conflicting) things, including:

Unhealthy food-- too often, dinner gets served without a vegetable. 
Too healthy food-- the kids tell me they don't want to have their friends over because we have "nothing good to eat". 
I don't pay enough attention-- I sat on my iPad today for two hours instead of playing with my 10-year-old daughter. Or talking to her. Or listening to her...
I pay too much attention-- I get involved in things my kids should be able to resolve for themselves, I step in and correct behavior too much, I remind them (aka: nagging) too much
I correct them too much-- I'm a stickler for grammer, spelling and pronunciation. I also have things I simply will not tolerate: name calling, physical violence, indoor screaming, laziness...