All in Parental Advice
At what age is it appropriate to bring your kids to a wake and/or funeral? It's a situation that all parents have to go through at some point, because like the sunrise and sunsets, wakes and funerals come as often as you get older. We can't avoid them unfortunately and we can't shelter our kids from them until their adult years. It's virtually impossible.
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Today the Globe has a story about the dilemma parents face with social networking.
[Social Networking] It’s become one of the most pressing questions for parents of children growing up in the digital age: When should they let their children join Facebook or should they be on the site at all? An estimated 7.5 million preteens - including 5 million under 10 - are part of the social network in violation of Facebook’s terms of service, according to Consumer Reports.
I have nephews and a niece who are under the acceptable age for signing up for Facebook, but are on Facebook. I see the interactions they have with their friends and family. Sometimes I find it strange. Sometimes I find it cool (mostly because I can keep up with how they are doing in school, athletic activities, etc.).
My kids are hung up on Club Penguin. They love it. It's interactive. There are games to play. There are other people to interact with (to a certain extent).
My oldest is the one that plays it the most and she's seven. My youngest, of course, wants to do what her big sister is doing. As a result, I succumbed to pressure this morning and got her an account to the tune of 60 bucks for the year.
My daughter started first grade today and in her class around about four boys that she had in her previous kindergarten class. One of them, who my daughter calls her boyfriend, said to his mom today, “I can’t sit next to her because she’s too pretty.” And, in the same sentence, said, “I can’t go over there because her daddy is there.”
Yea, that’s what I thought you little punk! (kidding Max, you’re a good kid).
Seriously though, I realize that this is innocent but there is going to come a time where she is going to have a boyfriend and I’m going to be a mad man.
The Wall Street Journal has an article today written by Jeff D. Opdyke about parenting, specifically the challenge he and his wife face when spending time equally with his kids. It's a good read and I can totally get where he's coming from.
We have two kids, a six-year-old and a three-year-old (nearly four) and spend time with each of them equally, as best we can. Since I'm working during the week, my wife does a great job in keeping the kids occupied and doing fun things during the summer months. She does painting, coloring, crafts, etc. We also take the kids to the movies, picnics, out to friends' houses, etc. Basically, our kids do have full schedules between school, fun and activities.
As a parent, you are constantly reminded of the future due to the experiences your kids have growing up -- no matter what age they are.
Whether it's losing the first tooth, first steps, first words, getting ears pierced, first dates, etc. you get to experience a slew of firsts. Each remind you of what's to come -- college, marriage, kids, etc.
No matter what, you cant stop the future from coming.
Last night I took the family to Hampton Beach, NH to check out their weekly firework display, play arcade games, have dinner, etc. It was a last minute thing and an attempt to cram in a little more fun before the kids head off to school.
At the end of the night, we were sitting in traffic and the wife and I experienced one if those future reminders.
Six things I've learned in six years of parentingSince my oldest daughter was born six years ago, there have been six key things I've learned as a parent that still hold true today. And as time goes by, I imagine that these six things will hold true as my kids get older.
Patience
As Axl Rose sang, patience is a virtue. Kids are going to have their cranky days and those days where they are bouncing off the walls. Match those days with moments when you're trying to do something (work, maintenance around the house, paying bills, relaxing, etc) and it's like oil and water. They just don't mix. Kids don't have an off switch so you need patience to get you through those situations where you want to explode.
