Confessions of a Real Mom, Episode 1(b)

In response to reader comments re: my previous post... I would like to thank you for your kind words about my older son. I also feel compelled to share a little about my parenting philosophy. Here are the basics. My husband and I tell both of our sons how amazing they are, how proud of them we are, and how very much we love them. We always make it a point to praise and celebrate their specific accomplishments on any given day. We express our gratitude for the ways in which they have helped us, or each other, or people outside our little family. We also cuddle with them, share laughs with them, and shower them with loads of hugs and kisses. We do all of these things on a daily basis. Truly, my husband and I lavish love and affection upon our boys. We also hold them to certain standards of civilized behavior, because we love them enough to raise them to be respectful and decent people--we care enough not to allow them to become brats. Certainly, there are many times when it would be easier and faster to just let our sons run wild and do whatever they want. But as a parent--and as a mental health counselor--I have learned that the EASY thing to do and the RIGHT thing to do are often two very different things! In the great scheme of things, my husband and I have been given precious little time to shape our sons into the kind of men we want them to be. We intend to make the most of it. Sure, we make mistakes--and we will continue to make mistakes, because becoming a parent seems to magnify, rather than diminish, one's flaws--but one thing is for sure: our boys will grow up knowing they are well-loved.