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1. I thought I was the only one with that parenting style!!

   Love you blog….voting each day !

   Beverley

   1. Glad to know I’m not alone! 🙂

      And thanks for voting, Beverley!

2. I love this! What it says to me is: we’re all human and parenting the way that makes sense (or doesn’t) to us! I am a stickler about my kiddos not having junk food, except when they’re sick. In general, sugar is avoided, but chinese food is not. I HAVE to get their hands and face clean after each meal, but only bathe them a couple times a week (except when London requests a bath). The list goes on…

   We have a book called Oxymornica. It’s pretty funny. Quotes and such. 🙂 This post made me think of that.
   Some quotes:
   “The value of marriage is not that adults produce children, but that children produce adults.” -Peter De Vries.
   “My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think sher enjoyed it.” -Mark Twain.
   “Everybody knows how to raise children, except the people who have them.” -P.J. O’Rourke
   “Babies are always more trouble than you thought–and more wonderful.” -Charles Osgood
   “Housework, if it’s done right, can kill you.” -John Skow.
   Oxymoronica!

   🙂

   1. “Everybody knows how to raise children, except the people who have them.” -P.J. O’Rourke

      I love that quote, Haley! 🙂 Haha! It’s so funny how we can be sticklers for some things, and totally lax on others. I keep thinking about how in fiction writing they say that a villain isn’t all bad, and a hero isn’t all good. Everyone has different shades to their character and actions. There are very few things that are actually harmful to our children, and most parents who are debating about parenting styles aren’t going to be doing those things (neglect, abuse, etc).

      And…now I really want some Indochine with you. Haha!

3. Have you seen “Grownups”?

   Speaking of milk, you should see it.

   -DS

   1. I haven’t! Is that the one where the guys are all at a water park, or something? Maybe I’ll have to Redbox it. 🙂

4. What if my parenting style is just plain moronic??? 😉 The funniest thing to me is the things you say before you have kids, things like,

   “I will never let my child watch more than 30 minutes of television.”
   “I will never let my child eat McDonald’s food more than once in a month.”
   “My child will never sleep in my bed.”
   “My dog will never lick my child’s face.”

   I’ve had to eat my words on all of those. And more. Thanks for being real, Melissa. 🙂

   1. I just thought of a question that’s been weighing on my mind…wondering if you would care to shed some light.

      What do you do when someone else’s idea of what’s best for their child is hurtful to your idea for what’s best for your child? Case in point: someone who doesn’t want my kids around their kids because my kids have the sniffles. What do I do about that? I have multiple children-someone is bound to be sick the majority of the time. I know they’re just trying to do their best. But, it makes me feel like my kids are lepers. Not to mention the strain on my relationship with these other people because they always bring it up as an excuse to not get together. Yet, when their kids are sick, they are more than willing to let them be around my unsick kids. 🙁 Thoughts?

      1. Having kids can be both a unifier and a divider is relationships with friends. It’s a tough thing to navigate! My gut reaction is to always go with honesty. Ask you friend about it, she might not even realizing that she’s placed a double standard on your relationship. Or, look up studies on building up immune systems through frequent illness (kidding). Or, give her a face mask for her child to wear (kidding, again). Haha! Anyone else have any suggestions?

         1. How about playing at the park/have picnics…so that the children are not in a ‘crowded, stuffy room’??

   2. We all had those words to eat once we had our own. I love that quote that Haley posted up there, it’s so true! How about letting your kids watch TV in your bed while eating chicken nuggets that the dog licked? 🙂 Heehee!

5. your children’s menu sounds a lot like mine…with Zachary, I have created a ‘chicken nugget monster’..it’s ALL he will eat! But hey..at least I buy the organic/minimally processed (whatever that means) kind! haha!

   1. I’m not even that conscientious. I get the ones shaped like dinosaurs from Costco. They kind of scare me. Haha!

6. Thank you for the funny (and gentle) kick in the pants. 🙂

   1. Haha! You’re welcome?! 🙂

7. You’re good peoples. 🙂

   1. Thanks, Jason! 🙂

8. Oh no! You have one of those leashes? LOL. Hey, to each its own. 🙂

   I’m the biggest oximoronic dad. But I love it and it’s a ride and it’s fun! We only get to do this parenting while they are still young. When they get older, we’ll miss it. :/

   1. I have TWO! The kids love them! 🙂 They actually fight over who gets to wear them. Haha!

9. Oh Melissa, I agree, we are too hard on ourselves and each other! This post had me smiling. I’m oximoronic right along with you.

   1. Yeah! I was discovering more inconsistencies in my parenting the other night while talking with my mom. Haha! It’s so funny what we can make important and let slide. 🙂

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