If there is one thing this whole cancer thing has done, it’s turned me into a giant hypocrite.
Well, not just that. But I have done more things I swore I would never do than I can count. My discipline theory has always been founded on two things: consistency and follow-through. If you aren’t actually going to follow-through with a punishment or rule, don’t even mention it. That way they can’t call your bluff.
Please ignore all of that. I apparently am horribly weak and cannot even follow my own advice.
Example one: The Nerd and I are pretty strict with a lot of things. We don’t hide that. I’m not into kid bikinis, kitten heels for my 8-year-old, or TV. What they do watch is closely monitored, and we nix anything that promotes disrespect to adults, immoral/unethical lifestyles, and or general obnoxious activity. I forbid Caillou because he whines all the freaking time. And I always found SpongeBob to be annoying and inappropriate at times.
Fast forward to the first hospital stay with Goo. The long haul of 15 days worth of tests, scans, needles, morphine drips, and horror. What did we watch incessantly? SpongeBob. It was on the TV first thing every morning. I bought SpongeBob band-aids. I looked for SpongeBob books. I totally went back on my previous years of explaining why obnoxious cartoons can influence behavior. I’m all about consistency and follow-through.
Example two: The Nerd and I try not to spoil our kids. We laughed at parents who spent hundreds of dollars on professionally catered birthday parties with bounce houses and clowns.
Goo and Smush just had birthdays. The main attraction was a bounce house. I’ve become *that* mom. (In my defense, we got it for the day for free by an amazing company who said they wanted to give back to the community, and couldn’t think of a better way than by making Goo’s wish come true. I heart them.)
Example three, and my favorite: I put up a little snarky comment on Facebook months ago when I saw this product – the iPotty.
This is a joke, right? (Photo credit: 欧黛创意)
Stickers? Sure. An M&M for successful potty-ing? Absolutely. Customized seating for use of a $500 electronic device? You are out of your mind. What are you going to do for their sweet 16, buy them an island? Good God, people. What nonsense.
Now that I got that out of the way, allow me to share with you this photo:
That would be Smush. Sitting on the potty. Playing a game on our tablet. Also, on that tablet? A SpongeBob game.
Consistency for the win.
