over-parenting

   Everyone has a friend (at least one friend) who thinks that the only way to parent is their own right???  {Please tell me I am not the only one who knows these crazy people!} You know the ones who only move their child up in clothing and diaper sizes according to age, even if the clothes don't fit. The ones who wait for the doctor's ok to do EVERYTHING, and like to put their child on a schedule from day 1 that is more packed than a highschooler who is on every team known to man.
  I am not trying to say that I am the worlds best mom, I know darn well that I will not be recieving a call on my childrens 18th birthdays for never having made a mistake while parenting... Because I know that we are not in competition with one another. I will do my best to raise my children to be respectful, well rounded, self confident and individual. But for the love of all that is holy people.. remember that they are children. They grow fast enough as it is, they are exposed to way too much way too fast.
   I quite frankly am not going to remember (or care!) that my son was potty trained 2 months before his friends. It sure will not get him into a great college, or earn him billions of dollars so why push it?! I enjoy spending free time with my kids, throwing a kink in the routine and letting them play, hearing them laugh, doing fun things, letting strangers laugh at me for jumping out and scaring the bejeezuz out of my 2 year old at the store because he wants to "hiiide, hiiide"
  Don't get me wrong, he is required to use his manners, we have a time out bench that has a nice worn spot from his butt when spankings are not the right fit for the crime.. but he is a toddler. He does not need to know 3 different languages and count to 100. He knows the basics, his name (and how to spell it) some of his letters, how to count to 5, how to play, how to love, how to be compassionate, and that mommy and daddy are not always right- that sometimes mommies and daddies need to say sorry too.

Next time I see a "my kid is better than yours" attitude across someones face I plan on asking this question.


                    What on Earth does it matter? Are they happy? Because mine are.