Name One Thing...

WhitWed · August 2013

Name one thing you are doing (or plan to do) differently as a parent than your parent(s) did with you. Can be anything!

Though I had a truly awesome childhood, one thing I already do differently with both children is I am more affectionate than my parents were. My family is awesome in a lot of ways, but they rarely hug and never show pda! So I've never been a very affectionate person in general. However, I am proud to say I am very loving with DD and now DS. I hug and kiss them all throughout the day and cuddle with them often! (I just hope they aren't posting on a board in 30 years saying their mom hugged them too much! Ha!)

dmarie1010 · August 2013

I ate cookies for breakfast my first 10 years of life...chips ahoy, milanos, oreos...LO will be having a more well rounded meal to start her days when the time comes haha.

Achae · August 2013

Hm I think my parents did really well. I know I won't be spanking with a belt though.

JinglesChic · August 2013

My mom was always proud in that she never had someone babysit us so she can hang out with friends. Yeah, I broke that record within a few months of having DS. I don't see the problem with having some time to myself and having fun every once in a while.

jefk · August 2013

I inherited my mom's disordered body image issues, and I refuse to pass them onto my daughter.

lovinlyfewithu · August 2013

My parents were not horrible but I will try my best to give my child everything I didn't have as a kid because my parents were awful with there finances and thought of themselves before there children. ie. sports, school trips, college expenses.

LaBellaVida · August 2013

My dad raised me along with my two brothers. He did wonderful. I sit here and think what I would do different, and I honestly can't think of anything. I do remember that my dad would use a belt on us (very seldom) and I remember screaming at him telling him "I will never use a belt on my kids!!!" he would say we will see about that!....I was right- I use a wooden spoon!

**flame suit zipped**

Now I love my mom- I cried like a baby when she left after having O, and I miss her like crazy right now. However; I hardly grew up with her. I only saw her for a few weeks in the summer every year. My mom has never been affectionate with us, and doesn't really make it a point to keep in contact with her kids. If we want to talk, we have to call her and make contact with her. I will make it a point to never ever not be affectionate with my kids, and I won't ever be out of contact with my kids. If they haven't called to talk at least 2 or 3 times a month when they are older- I will be calling them to figure out what the deal is!

My dad calls me every Sunday morning. If he doesn't call me on Sunday mornings- I call him around noon to see what the deal is. I like that close relationship I have with him, and I want my kids to have the same kind of relationship with me.

skio · August 2013

Pacifiers, babywearing, no spanking.

I was breastfed and cloth-diapered, which is awesome. My parents did a bang-up job, if I do say so myself. I want to do many, many things like they did. But there are a few things that will be different for sure.

skio · August 2013

JinglesChic said:
My mom was always proud in that she never had someone babysit us so she can hang out with friends. Yeah, I broke that record within a few months of having DS. I don't see the problem with having some time to myself and having fun every once in a while.

That's a weird thing to be proud of. Fostering and keeping relationships outside of your kids is so important to staying happy and healthy, IMO.

deejohn2012 · August 2013

My parents were awesome, affectionate, intelligent, and taught my sister and I to be loving, well-rounded people. But there are still a few things I would do differently.

I think the main one will be to not take life too seriously. My parents were very hard workers, and while I want to instill values of hard work in my children, I want to have fun with them too. I rarely remember seeing my mom smile. She worked so hard to make sure everyone else had a good time that she never had fun herself. I want to make.sure my kids see me enjoy myself.

I also want to make sure I take time out for me and my marriage. Lastly, I don't want to pass on the body image issues to the third generation. My mother hated her appearance, and it rubbed off on me. I don't want that for my daughter.

Sorry, that was more than one...

enuk2013 · August 2013

Love my parents and think they did a great job raising us but I'll do two things differently. My mom is very religious and pressed her beliefs into us to the point that I remember not being able to sleep at night because I was worried I was going to hell for whatever "sin" I'd committed that day. Also my parents' lives were definitely centered on the kids and didn't take time for each other. They're still married 40 years later but it's not the happy marriage I want for myself at their age.

Maelara · August 2013

My parents were wonderful but my dad wasn't around a lot. When I was a kid it was because he was doing side work to help support the family. When I was a teenager he became an alcoholic. I remember my sister got a lot more of my dad being a dad than I did once he kicked his drinking. I was always very jealous and have a lot of trust issues now as an adult because of it. I want to protect my children more than my mom did from things like that.

Faith7 · August 2013

I want to teach my son how to handle overwhelming feelings (anger, fear, frustration, etc) rather than just demand that he keep them under control. And I won't spank with a belt or paddle. And if I do spank him at all, I won't tell him to "take it like a man."

megandchase · August 2013

My parents did a great job but hit a rough patch in their marriage when I was younger an they'd argue around us. I won't argue in front of my kids (hopeful wont need to argue at all) and we won't be spanking at all!

iggles09 · August 2013

No spanking, more independence for decision making, no (or as little as possible) yelling

ehnasto · August 2013

My parents were awesome but I won't be putting as much pressure on DS as my mom did. It is more that when I would come home and be excited I got a B on a really hard test my mom would ask why I didn't get an A, rather than being excited for me for a moment. I would just approach encouraging DS to strive to do his best in a different way.

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