Wait, What Did They Get???

You know how I feel about little precious.  :/  It really bothers me when little precious thinks that he/she can do anything they want whenever they want.  And you know that we don't have that problem in my house, car, or when we're out in public. 

When the chicks were little, and we would go to:  Wal-Mart, the grocery store, out to lunch/dinner, to a department store, OK, basically anywhere we went, they would get one warning to behave/mind  your manners in the car before we even stepped foot anywhere.  I would not, and have not hesitated to take them into the bathroom and let them fully understand my displeasure at their attitude or disobedience.  There are too many of them and only one of me & I don't have time to chase you or deal with your attitude.  Just behave and everything will be fine...or I'll discipline you, and then everything will be fine.  The little chicks are old enough now that all I have to do is use my 'mommy voice' and they know that they are dangerously close to being in some major trouble.  :)

When we go to a restaurant, we stay seated unless you need to go to the restroom.  We do not spend the entire meal on our cell phones.  We talk as a family.  If we're a little loud, that's ok as long as no one is screaming and carrying on.  We say please and thank you to our server, and we are patient when we know the restaurant is crowded, because we are not our server's only table.  We clean up after ourselves and push in our chairs.  Growing up if we were not acting appropriately at a restaurant, my mom would stab us under the table with a fork.  Not too hard, but enough to get our attention.  I'll tell you, it worked. 

When we go to the store, don't ask me if you can have everything on every shelf on every isle.  Because you know what, I'm going to say no.  I'll say no to everything.  I have no guilt about saying no.  (Hopson wishes I would say no to some things in my life. :/)  Yes, I am that mean mom.  Now, if you don't ask me for anything, you never know, I might let you get something that I know you like.  Sugary cereal, hot cocoa, Razzleberry Pie, Sunny D...the yummy things in life.

I saw on Foxnews.com a story about a family getting a discount for well-behaved children.  I think that's ok, but it's almost like getting a participation trophy in sports.  You should act right because it's what expected of you.  You act right because no one, I mean NO ONE, likes to be around bratty kids in restaurants. You act right because you are practicing to become a normal functioning adult in society.  You act right because if you don't, momma will be become unhappy momma.  And when momma ain't happy...ain't nobody happy!  :) 

Maybe along with discounts for good kids they could tack on a fee for bad ones.  Now we're talking!  It can be like a contest...who can have the best kids & get the biggest discount.  You better believe none of my little chicks would cause any ruckus that night.

Maybe it's time for more parents to go old school on their kids and we wouldn't have some of the problems we have today.  Just something to think about!

Celebrating Life!
~ashley