Mothers who ... talk gibberish

All I can say is, the below post really annoys me.

This was in response to a question about discipline.  I don't know what it actually means.  Perhaps I should look for my enlightened centre?

Mothers who ... won't go anywhere without their kids

Recently I was talking to another mother about the possibility of my child going on a school trip to Europe. I should have thought first. This mother doesn't appear to have a life outside her children's. She is there for every excursion, every open day, every ...everything.

"I would never let C. go on a trip like that!" she said. "I've already spoken to him about that trip. We do those sorts of things as a family."

I was left carrying a load of guilt that I would even consider letting my child go - not that I was. I would add that this family takes a Europe trip every year, while my kids have never left the country. I'd also say that I think it would do C. an awful lot of good to experience something without his mother constantly at his shoulder.

But I guess that's just me.

Mothers who ... let their daughters wear short shorts

... because it makes my own daughter want them.  However I refuse to buy them.  Why should I let her walk around with most of her legs, and a good part of her rear end, exposed?  She is A KID.  Not a woman by any stretch of the imagination.  Please dress kids like kids!

Mothers who ... supervise their kids homework after the age of 10

A conversation I had with a known control-freak, helicopter, anonymous mother:

(Me) 'M has got woodwork this semester.'

(OM) 'Oh, we've got sewing.  You wouldn't think that was hard, but it is.'

'Is that right?'

'Oh, yes.  I have to run around and get the material, then measure it up for C.  The homework assignment was excruciating.  I spent forever on that.'

'You did?'

'Yeah, it took a whole weekend.  Next semester's worse though.'

'Why?'

'We've got metalwork!'

We've got metalwork?  I spent forever on that assignment?  Maybe I'm a bit traditional, but I let my children do their own assignments and homework.  I offer to help, and perhaps I'll scan my eye over them occasionally to make sure they're answering the correct questions and not basing an entire essay on Minecraft.  But that is the extent of it.  I felt guilty when the OM said this, then went on to explain where her kids were at with various assignments, and how overloaded they were with homework, yada yada yada.  But my guilt lasted for about a nanosecond.  I'm pleased my kids can do their own homework, at their own pace, without me breathing down their necks all the time.  That is a vital skill, and I can't help wondering what C. will do in the workplace when he gets there without such a skill.  Mother can't be there all the time ... can she?

Mothers who .... are not afraid of bragging openly

Oh, my kids love fruit and veggies too.  They eat them all day!  Give them a choice between an Easter egg and a carrot stick, they choose the carrot, every time!  In fact, it's hard to get them to eat anything else!   Can you believe it ... I've bringing up an all-organic, chicken-nugget-snubbing snob without even trying.  Go stick that in your face, other mothers!

Mothers who ... think their kids are the best, and think everyone else should, too

I sympathise with this one, I really do.  But you all know you're not right out there, because it is my kids that are the best, OK?  Don't even try to claim otherwise.

What peeves me sometimes is that parents feel that everyone else should indulge their children the same way they do.  For example:

Now, you know the sort of kid this mother is describing.  He's the one who runs around unrestrained and unnoticed (or even worse, encouraged) by his parents, staring at other people, interrupting whatever they're doing, and generally expecting to be number one with everyone in his vicinity.  But according to this mother, he just wants what he wants.  NOW!  And she doesn't want to stop him because that's when he gets pissed, and we can't be involved in discipline in a public place, can we?

Note to this mother: I like kids, but I don't want to have to have anything to do with yours unless I choose to.  I don't care if he gets pissed if I don't make funny faces at him as he so clearly wants me to do.  I am not your child's entertainer or babysitter!  Thank God.  And another note: if hell does break loose, be kind enough to remove him from my earshot.

Thank you.

Mothers who ... give their kids crazy names

I'll preface this post by stating I know some people like old family names, and some like to create new traditions.  I know names don't just come out of thin air, and once upon a time every name was a new name.  I get that.  But when I read something like the below I get a bit itchy.

Why does the conventional spelling need to be messed with?  What sort of name is 'Devlynn'?  Is that a boys' or a girls' name?  I think that sometimes parents see two names they like, can't decide on either, so just decide to go with squashing them together.  And 'Dante'?  It sound a bit hell-like to me.  Imagine being Dilynn in a few years on the phone to an Indian call centre.  "No, it's Dilynn.  No, not with a Y.  No, not D-I-L-I-N!  And there's two N's!"  Not to mention Devlynn being teased for his girlish moniker.

At least some parents put some thought into their children's names.  Did this mother cuddle the child after he was born to feel 'his energy'?  Did he actually vibrate?  Because most children would have  nasty-sounding names if we all tried match them with their newborn vibrations.

Think of the future.  Would you employ a 'Raven' or 'Dante'?  Would anybody take a 'Destiny' or 'Nevaeh' seriously?  Unfortunately, first impressions count.