Different is Different, Not Worse

These are words I have found myself repeating as a calming mantra as I expose myself more and more to people with different parenting styles.  I suppose you could say that I am an "It takes a village to raise a child" type parent, but - with a type-A personality in full force - I need the village to agree with my parenting decisions and jump on board with my style... not theirs.

Blessed with a big mouth and a small enough filter where my boca grande gets me into trouble, I have found myself breaking my own cardinal rules about overstepping boundaries.  I'm that ever so annoying parent that doesn't want a shred of advice about how you would do it but wants to tell you how it is and how it should be done.  Now, before you close this post with a vow to never read my rantings again, understand that I KNOW this is wrong and am working on righting it.

The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, so I have vowed to be more aware of my annoying habits and correct them before they happen.  No more correcting other people's children (unless they are about to get physically maimed) and no more expressing opinions when they aren't asked to be shared.  (I'm learning the hard way that it is true what they say about opinions: they are like a-holes, everyone has one but no one wants to hear from yours!).  I'm going to be a big girl and let every parent make their own mistakes with the expectation that they will let me make mine.

That being said (and here's the fun part!), I'm going to throw out a phrase my cousin often says (the one that has taught toddlers for 7 years and has all kinds of degrees and letters behind her name to back it up - I'll call her Miss Kim from now on), "Little kids, little problems.  Big kids, big problems."  Take a look at the children around you - both the known and the unknown - and look at the behaviors you like and don't like.

For example, I don't want my kid to be like that screaming lunatic in Olive Garden, so I correct his public behavior in private before it becomes an issue and teach him how I want him to behave.  My dad is always asking me why I'm so strict with the boy at the dinner table since no one is around to be bothered.  Basically, if he acts right at home, he will act right in public.  I, more often than not, get compliments at restaurants about how well behaved the boy is acting.

I realize this doesn't make me perfect and that I won't get nominations for mother of the year any time soon, but I work hard to do the right thing (whatever that is) to help my boy become an amazing man.  Just as I'm judging someone on their crazy parenting decisions, I'm positive there is someone out there judging me on mine.  I remind myself daily that it isn't wrong just because I don't agree with it.  (Yes, that was a difficult statement to write out loud!)  Different is different, not worse!