Kidpedia - sponsored by Goodnite Moon

I saw an interesting segment on the “Today” show the other morning.  It was how parents feel they need to be dis-honest when talking about their kids and their behavior - or simply the way they parent.  At first, I was poised to turn off the TV - shrugging it off as ridiculous when I realized I was a total liar like the rest of these whining suburban housewives.  While I am all-too-honest about my kids exploits divulging all the sordid details of grocery store freak attacks, and birthday party slapping matches - after a time, I started embellishing the truth about how I was handling the rearing of my wee ones.

Let’s start with sleeping.  I can come up with a thousand reasons for my kids horrible sleeping habits - guilt from being away from home too much when they were babies, lack of a routine blah blah blah - my real problem?  I was a total wuss.  Unable to suck it up and harness control as the adult in the house that desperately needed to function at work the next day and get some shut eye - I did everything you are not supposed to do.  They slept in my bed with me, I let them fall asleep in my arms, I nursed them back to dreamland, crept out of the room like a complete idiot taking small steps what seemed like every 5 minutes to escape.  And what did I tell people?  They sleep great, they are natural sleepers, and when they wake - oh, yeah - they cry it out people.  And now - 6 years later?  Still, yes still, 6 YEARS LATER!  I lay with my daughter until she falls asleep, jump when I hear the slightest peep from my son’s room and am jumping from bedroom to bedroom placating and cajoling them to sleep until a couple hours later (yes, on average two hours later) they are finally asleep.  So what do I tell young mothers when they come in the store?  Yep, you guessed it “Mine slept fine, let ’em cry it out - it works!”  I wouldn’t really call it lying per se - just encouraging someone to take control and gt some shut eye!

And how bout those pediatrician appointments?  And those pesky questions - what does she drink with meals?  How much juice does she have?  Is she still having a bottle?  No, nope, nada lady!  It is all water, all the time - and bottles?  So last year!  I will never forget my daughter staring at me at her 4 year appointment, never understanding that she realized then and there we were in on it together raptly listening to my answers.  Here comes the 5 year appointment - and now who is expected to answert the questions?  Yep, the 5 year old.  How does she answer - juuuuust like her mother.  We never speak of the “embellishment” afterward but their is a clear understanding.

I think parenting is a journey, and on every journey there is a lot of learning along the way.  As long as you do what is right, and what feels good that is what matters.  What you decide to own up to - is up to you.