To Whom It May Concern -
Yes, it is my goal to be the best mom I can be, and I will not apologize for it. I assume that your* goal is/was to be the best parent that you can be as well. I stand by most of the parenting decisions that my husband and I have made, but I do not think that yours are any less valid than mine, just because they are different.
Of course, if you think that there is something that I have overlooked or could do better, I invite you to share those thoughts with me. However, if your reasoning is that whatever I'm doing is "wierd" or "not what they did 20, 30 or whatever years ago" and you don't have any more concrete reasoning than that to back it up with. I'm probably going to disregard it. In fact, I reserve the right to disregard any suggestions/advice/whatever without further discussion with anyone, including you.
You* have/had your own children (or not) and are/were entitled to parent them the best way that you see fit. In turn, these two little girls are the Wonderful Husband's and mine, and we get to parent them the best way that we see fit. Which means - we outrank every single other person on the planet when it comes to Callie and Katie. Even you.
Love and kisses,
Me
*general you, of course, because this wouldn't be directed at any one person in particular, would it?
5 comments:
Woot woot! I'm going to keep copies in my purse and hand it out. Changing names where appropriate, of course. :)
Your post reminds me of my Mom's approach to giving advice: only give when requested. I can remember only once her ever giving unsolicited advice. She once came back from visiting my brother and SIL and said, see my tongue? It's all black and blue from biting it so much! Mom never butted in. She was a wonderful Christian mother. I will try to follow her example after my first grandchild is born this fall.
Sue, I bet you'll be great. This is your son and DIL's child?
I'm convinced that the first child/grandchild is the most vicious test of a DIL/MIL relationship.
MZ - the one in my purse has actual names. Too bad it won't be delivered. :)
he heh. yes, I think you've overlooked telling someone that your parenting rights actually started with your marrying rights. (I was a mixed marriage too, only I had to convert before marriage because LCMS sem students may not marry outside the LCMS.)
As for my relationship with my MIL (that's "monster-in-law"--long before the movie ever came out)... it isn't what it should be. She thinks her bio daughter is the perfect mother because she is parenting the way mom did. I am totally opposite, and somehow by the grace of Almighty God, my 4 living children are yet living.
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