Another adventure in Parenting 101

The worst part of parenting is being the "bad guy". Addi is grounded for the first time. There is a new family that moved in next door who have several children. They have the liberty to play outside every waking hour, racing thier tricycles up and down our driveway. We do have the best sloped driveway on the street, so I try to not be the grouchy mean Mom who tells them to leave. Of course Addi is dying to go out and play whenever she hears them out her window. So yesterday afternoon I let Addi go out to play. As I helped her out the door we went over my simple rules and I made sure she understood. 1. Stay away from the street. 2. Don't talk to strangers. 3. Don't go in anyones house, for any reason. She repeated the rules, and promised to adhere. I opened the curtains and watched her play with her new friends. About 20 minutes into playing Addi decided to follow her friends home to thier house. They play outside every waking moment, until now. Go figure. I sent Tony over to get her. He was laughing because all the kids asked Tony, "What's the big deal? We aren't strangers!" When Tony carried Addi home she had a look of fear as she saw me in the window. I heard her ask Tony, "Am I in big trouble Dad? Is Mommy mad?" I told Addi she is grounded from playing with her friends for one week. She took it pretty hard, always a drama queen. She later appologized saying, "Mommy I am so sorry and I am done being tricky. I am going to try to follow the rules now. I am ready to listen. Now can I go play?" "No Addi. I don't think so!"
I understand my parents and the things they did so much more now that I am a parent myself. It isn't that my parents WANTED to ground me, or take away my car, or phone privledges. They wanted to hit me where it hurt so I would stop and think about whatever stupid thing I may have done. It's not that I don't want Addi to make friends and go places but she is four, and I don't know these neighbors! I never understood the phrase my parents used while handing down thier punishments, "I am only doing this because I love you." It is crystal clear now. I have to be the bad guy in her world to protect her from the real bad guys. And someday when she is older, she will understand.

I will end with these pics of Kaden after his spaghetti dinner. I would say that I look forward to the days when he won't need to bathe after every meal, BUT I happen to think he is pretty darn cute. Even at his messiest. :o)