Let us reflect on an evening at the L house. Last night to be exact.
Echem.
Example ONE:We come home and H immediately throws her shoes on the floor, takes her pants off and makes herself comfy on the couch. Somehow she has found a box of Cheez--its and starts going to town on them.
Me: Honey, we shouldn’t eat Cheeze- it’s before dinner.
M otherwise called “H’s most favorite person in the house: oh, it’s ok if she has a few.
REALLY?!
Me: bad cop- 1
M: bad cop-0
Example TWO: H and Daddy are playing in her room. And by “playing” I mean pulling every toy out and digging through her dress up box. The place was a disaster. I join in on the fun. When it’s time to take a bath I say lets clean up. H throws a fit and M gives me the “oh, does she have too”
Me: bad cop-2
M: good cop-0
Example THREE:After bath time, which M gave her a bath. READ: let her play in the water for 15 minutes while he watches the sports recap on ESPN. H asked me if she can have some candy. I say no because it’s almost time for bed. She gets upset running back to him and says “mamma said no” QUESTION: why can’t he say no?
Me: bad cop- 3
M: good cop-0
The list goes on and on. I realize M and I were raised TOTALLY different. He takes on more of the “let’s be friends” approach. Me I take on the “I am the parent, you are the child” That little girl has M wrapped around his finger. Yes, he does punish her, Yes I maybe a little more stern with her (because I’m around her more) BUT I am realizing we need to find a happy balance. No it’s not the end of the world if she has a few cheese-It before dinner or it her bedroom is complete destroyed. M always tells me to relax.
I tell him to start telling her no every once in a while so I don’t have to always be the fun police.
How do you find a happy medium? Are you the fun police?
Ya’ll have fun while I go bedazzle my fun police badge
I think I'm the "good cop." But I blame it on being around the little monster all day. If it shuts him up and keeps him happy my life is easier... For now. I know I need to put on my Momma Panties and enforce a few more rules. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteGood luck finding that balance. We are searching for it too!
Hmmm......it's funny, sometimes Jeremy is the bad cop and sometimes I am. But I think finding a balance means agreeing on some rules/boundaries and making sure we are both enforcing them and sticking to it. That's what we've found with AG anyway....we have to be on the same page and be consistent....b/c she knows how to work the system.
ReplyDeleteTotal bad cop here! I blame it on/credit it to my years in early childhood. I have seen first hand what happens when the kids run the house and I do not want my kid to be the one the teachers talk about (for that reason, at least...let's be honest, they'll be making fun of her coordination behind her back.)! And the whole "have fun with Daddy and get out every toy" game drives me nuts, too!
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