Delayed Parenting Skills

I’ve come to a point in parenting where I often question my skills, or if I have any parenting skills at all. The kids are just at the age where I find myself asking the questions, “Where do they get that from?” “Did I forget something?” “Did I miss a step?” “I went wrong somewhere, but where?”

And forget talking to them about anything in length, or, I can talk but they’re not listening.

I get it. I’ve been there. I was their age once but, but, but……….just give me a tiny sign that I haven’t  done this all wrong. That maybe a slither of something is seeping through.

Thankfully I got a tiny sign the other day.

I had just sat down on the couch after working the whole day in the yard. I was tired. My body ached.

In comes Gracie.

“Mom. I need to talk to you about something.” she said.

“I’m all ears.” I told her. (Whenever the kids say they need to talk I get a little excited, I’m not gonna lie)

And she went on to explain about how she had this idea. She wanted to start a campaign. “Like the cigarette campaigns to stop smoking but a campaign to stop bullying”

She went on with her ideas of decorating the school hallways with Stop the Bullying posters and about having an after school program to talk about the issue.

She was very passionate about it and it just made me beam with pride.

She got it. She got. She got it!

A few minutes after Gracie left the room, Bobby came in and sat next to me on the couch.

He wanted to talk politics.

At first I kind of looked around the room. Am I being punked?

But he went on talking about the candidates and who he would vote for and why.  He talked about some of the issues and he asked a lot of questions. So many questions that my brain started to hurt.

My God. He is paying attention in class. He is aware of current affairs.

Then he asked if I thought Hillary’s dad would give her any advice if she won.

Then we argued for 10 minutes about Bill being her HUSBAND and not her DAD.

He was a little mortified and I’m praying that I didn’t set him back years with that revelation.

Next up, we had Leroy who wanted to talk.

He sat right in front of me after Bobby left the room and barked at me for a good 15 minutes.

He wanted to talk about the groundhog that keeps taunting him in the backyard.

He was kind of stubborn about the whole thing but I think I got through to him when I told him that he has a better chance of making friends with him if he chases him to the right side of the yard verses the left side. Fence holes are smaller on the right side and the groundhog is a little on the chubby side. And for the love of dog Leroy, when the groundhog stops and turns around and spits at you, just don’t stand there.

I’m still waiting on a verdict on how this is going to pan out but I think Leroy finally realizes that he is in fact, a dog.

Sherman wasn’t much for talking. He’s a wise dog that has it all figured out. He’s just there in situations like this for moral support. Sherman still thinks he’s a person. I have a little more work to do in this area.

My conclusion is this, perhaps I am on the right track with this parenting thing. I’m getting delayed responses but at least I’m getting a glimmer of hope now.

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