Parents Should Never

The list of things we shouldn’t do as parents seems to get longer everyday.

Society likes to make us feel bad and highlight our ‘failings’ as parents. I know because I do it – I judge people on sight for doing things I wouldn’t; people who smoke with their children or get drunk in front of them, people who put cups of tea in bottles (although that may well be a very personal gripe).

My children don’t have much sugar, it’s never really been an issue, no big choice that I made to be a super-mum it just kind of happened that way. The times when they do have sugar isn’t particularly pretty, my eldest tends to resemble the Tasmanian Devil which, while entertaining for a while, only ever ends with a hysterical child sobbing who needs to be sedated (or maybe that’s just me). I personally can’t understand it when parents buy huge bags of sweets for their children – particularly at soft play centres – and then watch them erupt into little uncontrollable fireworks too hot to handle, but it’s their choice. I think giving children sugar especially fizzy drinks is on the list of things not to do.

This week I checked another box off the Things Parents Should Never Do list by installing a TV and DVD player in my children’s room. OK, stop with the gasps, I’d like to at least give you my excuses.

I am a single parent with two rather challenging little darlings, the boy is 18 months and is a complete attention seeker, which I put down mostly to fact that he is constantly rejected by his older sister, whom at just 3 has decided sleep is for wimps. (Maybe it’s the weather, or a phase or another joyful symptom of her Autism but last night she was still thrashing around the house at 12.30am. This does not make for a happy, well rested family).

The TV has become a way of distracting them into their room for long enough in the daytime to hopefully instigate a nap so that I can either a) get some housework done (I jest) b) get half an hour to myself c) write this very blog. The TV doesn’t come on at night although in an emergency I wouldn’t rule it out. At first I felt guilty having said I’d never do that – but hey, I’m human and we have to do anything we can to stay sane.

So never say never, unless we’re talking about putting Coca Cola in your toddler’s sippy cup or tea for that matter! Never do that! The TV is staying for as long as is needed. Please feel free to send me any judgement via the comments!

Courtesy: [Shared by Woman With Baby]