Little Thoughts Inside My Head

I wrote a post a little while back about all of the things we said we'd never do as parents.

 But what about those tiny little thoughts in your head that say,
"I'm so glad my child doesn't do that!"
"I'm so glad I don't have to deal with a child like that!"
and my favorite, "I'm so glad my child doesn't act that way!"

Come on, I know I'm not the only one who thinks those things!

Without getting into my professional life too much...in my role, I advocate for positive parenting practices. I like to think I know a lot about children...and parenting them. I'm a confident parent. And I almost always can figure out how to deal with my children (and everyone elses too). And with that said... I will now take my foot out of my mouth.

I've talked with a bazillion parents who are struggling with their children. I help them the best I can, and then think, "WHEW, I'm so glad my kids aren't like that!" You know the Super Nanny?! Yah. That's me. Only I'm not British and I am obsessed with Justin Timberlake. OMG, SNL this weekend?!!! I'm still flustered over him. Ooops, I digress. Back to me, the Super Nanny. As I work with parents who really struggle, I have always felt really good about my parenting skills and the way my children behave.

However. Over the last few weeks, I have found myself questioning so many things! Number one, I never thought my child would wipe his own poo on the walls at three years old. I never thought that my child (whose name will remain nameless but beings with a M) would still be ripping up pages in books at three years old!!
What did I do wrong? Because, again at nap time, today...I found this.

Hey, I get it. I understand that parenting has 5,947,437 challenges. I'm up for them. I just think it's ironic how up until now, I've been in control. I have never once felt like I couldn't handle any power struggle, tantrum, time out,  poop smearing, bronzer smearing, butt paste smearing, vaseline smearing, glue smearing, toothpaste smearing (Dear Lord twins are hard!) situation I've encountered.

This week, I gave a presentation to UW Madison Medicine 3rd year residents. These residents will become family practice doctors or pediatricians in the next year. They're kind of a big deal. Each year, I teach them about discipline and potty training. I prepare them for the questions parents will ask them.

So as I talked about tantrums, one of the doctors asked me how I would handle a child having a tantrum in the store. I gave him the answer, and then immediately thought to myself------

WOW...I have never had one of my children through a tantrum in the store. Ever. My kids sit in the cart. They don't scream for toys. They behave. I've trained them well, followed a schedule, and they have never thrown a fit in a store for me. Deep down inside, I was pretty proud of myself.

So those thoughts, like the one I mentioned above.....they've got to stop. Because guess what happened today when I took all four kids to the grocery store.

 

My lovely three year old screamed and cried and 'walked' on his knees through crowds of people because his drink from the water fountain wasn't long enough. People stopped. People starred. And what did the "professional" do? I got out my camera, duh. Somehow, I forgot to mention that piece to the resident doctors.

 

From now on, every time I hear a horror story about a child. I'm just going to think, "I KNOW that will happen to me someday, and this is my plan..."

 

Because clearly, the second I think my kids shit doesn't stink, they wipe it on the walls.

 

 

XOXO,

Bergie Bunch Mama