Poisoned Purple Pen

My parenting woes

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JAFBG  (XGC) Because real life isn't always roses and sunshine... #2094931 by Elisa: Snowman Stik

Prompt: What is the worst parenting technique that sucks but is commonly advised anyway?

Yeah, that one. So my son Zak was probably 6 months old. We were living with my parents at the time because we were going back and forth between Lebanon and US so R could play soccer. I remember R was overseas, and since Zak refused to have a set bedtime, we went for the let him cry it out method.

BIG MISTAKE! And I mean big. First off, it's heartbreaking to sit in another room and listen to your child crying so hard that their breathing is affected. You know those heart-wrenching sobs that are so severe you have to fucking stop to suck in a massive breath before the wailing resumes?

I was a new mother, still didn't know what the hell I was doing. I mean, I'd never been around babies before. Talk about clueless. I remember sitting in the living room attempting to watch television. All of us were talking about how long that kid could cry. Well, let me tell you...hours! Until none of us could take it any longer. It was the first and last time I ever tried this horrible, piece of shit technique.

The not sleeping with parents thing went out the window as well. It's hard enough to be a new mom, sleep deprived, and have to get up multiple times during the night. After the third time if you expect to get any sleep at all, put that child in your bed and you can have a few hours of peace.

I don't know who comes up with this shit, all I know is it didn't work for me.

Just like putting them in sports when they didn't want to participate in the first place. Man, was my son miserable and watching him being that miserable only made me miserable. He only ever played one season of soccer. What sucks is that he was really good at it. I swear it's in the genes, but he hated it.

I remember being young, my sister, cousin and I got into trouble for having a pillow fight and breaking the light in our room. My grandmother made us sit in the living room, two on opposite sides of the couch, one of us on a chair, and we were forbidden from talking to each other. Like that ever worked. Did I learn from it? Hell no.

And of course, we learn what we are taught. Here I was, mad at my kids for fighting with each other. I sent them both to their rooms and forbid them to talk. Simple, right? No fucking way. Not two minutes later I hear them whispering to one another in the hallway. . Little brats! Think I only ever did that once as well.

My advice, go with the flow. Each child is different. What works for one, probably won't work for the other. And if someone gives you shit advice, it sounds like shit, you know it's probably shit, then don't fucking do it!