Browsing all posts in "responsibility".
Science and the Death of Helicopter Parenting
I wish. But since I’m not convinced that helicopter parents are rational, I doubt science will actually convince them of anything. Rational parents instinctively understand that in order for Johnny to grow up to handle his own life, you have to hand it to him, little by little. This we call, “learning responsibility.” The helicopter [...]
So Much for Teaching Responsibility
Once upon a time, an organization was born which was dedicated to helping young men learn the tools necessary to lead a successful life. It took off, rapidly. There are now chapters in virtually every country. No organization is perfect, and I know that fellow non-theists will turn over in their seats when I admit [...]
Passive Aggressive Snots
According to Wikipedia, passive aggressive behavior is “passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following through with expectations in interpersonal or occupational situations. It can manifest itself as learned helplessness, procrastination, stubbornness, resentment, sullenness, or deliberate/repeated failure to accomplish requested tasks for which one is (often explicitly) responsible.” According to the Mother, the definition is much simpler. [...]
The Curious Case of the Phone Call in the Afternoon
I have a theory about college age kids. Ready? THEY’RE NOT KIDS ANYMORE. Eighteen-year-olds are adults. They are, at the age of eighteen, responsible for themselves in the eyes of the law, and in the eyes of the MOTHER. Mom and Dad pay for college, as long as we can afford it, and as long [...]
In Support of Madlyn Primoff
Madlyn Primoff, in case you’ve been in a coma for the past few days, is the 45 year old Manhattan attorney who had had it with her daughters bickering in the car, pulled over, and shooed them out. She’s facing criminal charges of child endangerment. And she’s been banned from having contact with the children. [...]
The Top Ten Ways to Deal with a Kid’s Messy Room
10. Close the door. Quantum physics tells us that, if there is no observer, the quantum waves don’t collapse. So there is no room to be messy.
9. Invent an imaginary friend. “He cleans his room every day. But the poltergeist comes out and messes it up while he’s at school.”
Slave Labor & Selective Hearing Loss
One of the unexpected benefits of the economic slowdown (meltdown?) is that my over-privileged children are having to do a little work around here.
Not to say that we haven’t always expected certain chores of them. They do their own laundry, and clean their own rooms (yeah, right. What that means is that MOM DOESN’T.)
How Not to Raise a Responsible Child
Rules for how NOT to raise a responsible child. 1. Set rules and limits and fail to follow through. 2. Always run up to the school with whatever your child forgot…
I Got to Say I Told You So…And I Liked It!
Took Stretch to see the orthodontist today. I’ve been telling him to put in his rubber bands. I nagged him. I bugged him. I reminded him. But did he listen? NOOOO! I reminded him of the Grouch, who never wore his rubber bands, and ended up on the infinite program. Good thing I paid in [...]
The Parent Teacher Conference
It goes like this: “Mrs. insert-your-name-here?” (never mind that you haven’t been a Mrs., ever. They can’t use the title, you see, because they have a BA and you have fifteen years of higher education, and they are trying REALLY hard to tell you that they know much more about the subject—your kid—than you do). [...]
