20th Century and Beyond

Yesterday's post was poking fun at a comment left on Mary Margaret's Blog.

Click here to read the comment.

This young lady and her friends left some intelligent comments on my post yesterday about Fascism, y'all should go read them. How do I know they are friends, I have the Feedjit on my blog and it shows me where you all come from. Do they seriously think I consider myself a fascist? I'm anything but that. I'm a mom trying to make her children do right.

Harlow, dear, I know I'm old and living in the 20th century and I'm sorry that irritates you. I didn't look that word up on the Internet. I used what we called a BOOK back in the day. Webster's Dictionary to be exact, and I didn't look up just one word, I looked up two. I wanted to be sure that I had it exactly right before I posted it here in the 21st Century. Have you considered that there is way more to the story than what you know? I do not post every single detail of my life on this blog. Now, if I bother you, stop reading my blog, no one is making you read it.

I'm going to borrow the comment left by my friend Emma on Mary Margaret's blog, just in case y'all miss reading it. She sums up what I'm doing perfectly and she's a better writer than me, lol.

Emma's comment
Here is my opinion, and you can take it for what it's worth. Let me preface this by saying that I am NOT 18 years old, I DO have teenagers of my own, and I have worked with teens professionally as well as in our church for years.

Kids need boundaries. What you did was not unacceptable in the least bit. What you were doing was demonstrating a few things:

1) Lying will not be tolerated
2) Actions have consequences, natural or otherwise
3) You expect the best from her because you want the best for her

Setting boundaries for kids/teens is actually PROVEN to increase self-esteem and confidence. True, not ALL girls that are promiscuous end up pregnant before graduating high school. However, asking her the direct line of questioning that you did let her know that HER trust was in question. This was poignant in that it taught her in order to earn your respect and trust, she needs to be honest and act with integrity in all things. You are teaching her to be steadfast and immovable in her values, her virtue and her faith. This will lead to self-respect as well as respect for you. Her rebellion is not a personal attack against you because she thinks you are doing a horrible job. It is just her being a normal teen trying to figure out her place; trying to establish some Independence. Good thing she got caught in a small lie, providing this “learning opportunity” now, before it’s too late. Having rules will prepare your children for the ‘real world’ that is composed of many rules and boundaries.

MM knows you absolutely love her and adore her. In fact ANYONE who knows you and the girls know that these two are your top priority. She may not like or agree with all of your rules, but did any of us agree with all of our parents rules?

Emma

Isn't Emma a good writer? She has a wonderful blog. Check her out.

To those of you who do not have children yet, remember this, setting rules and boundaries and enforcing them does not make you a Fascist, Dictator, Tyrant, or Hitler, it makes you a parent that cares about the who, what, when, and where, of their lives because you love them unconditionally.