My best advice from personal experience in raising my kids was "No reaction is the best reaction". As we who are parents know, most kids love to 'push our buttons' to get a reaction out of us. I took the wind out of my kids' sails more times than once by not giving them the satisfaction of getting a rise out of me or showing any shock. After the young life I had, not much would shock me anyway. And as for sneakiness...I was the world's sneakiest kid ever, I do believe. They really never got much of anything past me, much to their chagrin at times.
"When I was 14 my Father was so ignorant,I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21 I was astonished at much the old man had learned in seven years."
My best advice from personal experience in raising my kids was "No reaction is the best reaction". As we who are parents know, most kids love to 'push our buttons' to get a reaction out of us. I took the wind out of my kids' sails more times than once by not giving them the satisfaction of getting a rise out of me or showing any shock. After the young life I had, not much would shock me anyway. And as for sneakiness...I was the world's sneakiest kid ever, I do believe. They really never got much of anything past me, much to their chagrin at times.
ReplyDeleteCan you adopt me?
ReplyDeleteIt's only after it's too late that they realize you knew what you were talking about.
ReplyDeletei love that quote..wish i could do it...
ReplyDeleteMarty,
ReplyDeleteI guess, as usual, Mark Twain said it best:
"When I was 14 my Father was so ignorant,I could hardly stand to have the old man around.
But when I got to be 21 I was astonished at much the old man had learned in seven years."
Yes! This goes for advice to spouses, too, I think.
ReplyDelete