Moms are constantly being told how to raise their kids. Single moms tend to get more advice than married ones because society tends to see us as lacking in some way. Because I am a single mom, I write from the viewpoint of one. However, that doesn’t mean that other moms don’t want to say these things. Are you a mom that is dying to say something?
Could the parent who raised the perfect children please stand up? When I was pregnant, I wanted to have that statement, followed by “Could the rest of you please shut up?” printed on every shirt I wore. If you’re actually arguing with a mother about how she plans to raise her child or arguing with someone else about how that mother should raise her children, you might want to take an objective look at your own parenting skills and realize that you made mistakes, just as she is entitled to.
No, I really “shouldn’t” do anything. When you’re talking to a mom, or anyone else for that matter, it’s a bit presumptuous of you to say that she “should” do anything. You might offer your advice or make suggestions, but that doesn’t mean that we “should” do what you say. Changing the word “should” to “need” isn’t any better.
I really do like my child just the way he is. Kids have their own personalities. While parents do have a hand in molding that personality through role modeling and instruction, we can’t actually force our kids to be interested in things that they don’t like or be someone they aren’t. To be honest, most of us don’t want to. We may not like every facet of our child’s personality, but rest assured that you have your on traits that the world doesn’t like. Until you have reached perfection, it’s not really your place to tell us how our children should be.
Yes, my child is more important to me than you are. I hope that there isn’t a mother alive who can’t say this. No one is more important to me than my child. His needs will always take precedence over yours or anyone else’s, including my own. That’s why I’m called Mom.
Raising your eyebrows is not going to make me parent any differently. As all mothers do, I have my own parenting technique. You may not agree with it, but you don’t have to live with it. I have one chance to raise my child and I’ll do it the way I feel is best, regardless of what anyone thinks. While you might raise your eyebrows as my son hammers nails into a scrap piece of wood in the living room, I know he’s simply practicing his skills. You might think that he shouldn’t be giving another boy his brand new jacket, but I’d rather my son show some compassion to a child who need it than to worry about money before humanity. In short, I know what I’m doing. You can put your eyebrows back down now because the rumor is that if you make a face too long, it will freeze that way!
More from this contributor…
8 Signs that You Shouldn’t Move in Together
How to Help a Child through the Death of a Parent
10 Passive Aggressive things Parents do to Their Children
References: Personal Experience