Welcome to my first ever blog. After an enlightening moment with my 13 year old daughter last night, I felt compelled to share my parenting experience as I have done it. This is not advice, this is simply how My husband and I parent out children. I have been told by others that not only are we unreasonable in our techniques, but we are unrealistic. Our parenting is an ever changing machine. We put in how we were raised by our parents, and take out what we didn't like, add in what is necessary due to the changing world around us, and most of all, add from our own experience, while never forgetting where we came from or what kind of children we want to put out in this world. I think that is a main key most parents today are missing. The big picture. What kind of adult will your child be? That is our main goal, and we try to mold that every day. There is not one simple answer for any of it, no simple pill and no simple sit down visit with your child. It has been an on going open conversation, paired with strict discipline to achieve what we have. Do I think we have finally hit the 'super parent" status? Nope. Long ways to go. But every step in that relationship should be celebrated and our parenting tweaked as it goes. That's why I decided to create this page. I had a 16 year old coworker tell me that if I was her mother she would have run away, on the same day my daughter tells me she can talk to me like one of her best friends. Let me set you straight now. I am not my children's friends and this has never been a goal of mine. I am their parent. Not their friend. But for my daughter to say that, it tells me we have a line of communication between us that very few mothers have with their teenage daughters. Wow- you say, big deal. Your kid likes you today. Considering where she came from in the last few months, this is huge. I will elaborate more on my next post, but here's a hint of whats to come......
This child that is finally seeing the light is the one that over a period of a year and half stole over $200 from her younger siblings. She was meet with the harshest discipline I have ever dealt out. Her room was stripped of everything but her bed and clothes.  She is not allowed anywhere without and adult. She must empty her pockets and bags upon entering the house. Oh, and she got nothing for Christmas. Meanest mom in the world you say????? We'll see.......