Parenting is not for Wimps

Have you ever seen people who are just naturally great parents? Loving, patient, they always know how to bring out the best in their kids. I so admire these people because I am sooooo not one of them. As far as I'm concerned kids are a different species. They can be adorable, watching them in their antics often makes me laugh out loud. But actual parenting? I don't have a clue.

I WANT to be more effective, but I don't know how to do that. So I got a new book. Parenting with Love and Logic by Cline and Fay. I heard about them in a seminar recently and I was very intrigued. I was especially intrigued after I googled them because apparently they are somewhat controversial figures. Most people would read the stuff and run screaming in the other direction. Being a somewhat independent person I wanted to actually read the book before I called for a witch-burning. I'm funny that way.

On some levels I found it to be a dissappointment. I expected a book that took positions quite contrary to "modern" culture. From the reviews, I expected all sorts of wildly inflammatory methods. Imagine my dissappointment when I read the book and found out they advocate allowing natural consequences. Hmm, not even a good spanking when the situation calls for it. Hardly what I'd term counter-culutural. I suppose for people used to rescuing their kids from every possible negative it could seem quite shocking to say, "If the kid forgets his lunch let him go hungry til dinner." As a nurse who knows that childhood obesity is rampant, the idea of an occasional missed lunch doesn't shock me--the vast majority of kids could stand to miss a meal now and then.

What I did like about the book is that it systematically teaches a way to teach kids to decide well. If it helps me train polite, mannerly kids, who make good choices based on solid morals, then sign me up. Time will tell. Until then Hubs and I have a back up plan. But it is wildly controversial and mostly a joke so I better skip it. Heaven knows many people can't recognize good old fashioned sarcasm when they see it--and most of those people work for child protective services.