Comments on Through The Looking Glass: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

I thought this didn't happen in Utah!! I'm stuck ...

2007-10-28T10:58:00.000-06:00

I thought this didn't happen in Utah!! I'm stuck out here in the midwest, in an area with NO members. Everyone here is Catholic. Ethan came home from preschool the other day saying OMG. How do you explain to a 4 year old not to say words that his whole group of friends say on a daily basis? So frustrating.

Yo Amanda, I've been a secret reader of your blog ...

2007-10-24T01:45:00.000-06:00

Yo Amanda, I've been a secret reader of your blog for a while and wanted to give you a shout out. Your blogs are great. I'm sure you've been told this a million times, but you really should write a book!

Anyway, sounds like you B and the gang are doing great. I thought I had Brandon's number in my phone but no such luck. I'm putting together a Murray rec. b-ball team and was wondering if he'd want to lace em up. Send me his number. It's been way too long since we've talked!

-Dave

I've had this issue all too often with a family th...

2007-10-23T23:08:00.000-06:00

I've had this issue all too often with a family that lives across from us. Dave wants to do the "Christian" thing and invite them to play with our kids. I tried this in the beginning but always had a gut sinking feeling. Turns out she is a complete pathological liar (the mom), I could go on and on about this but my head might burst and the 7 year old son was just caught molesting a few year old boy in our neighborhood. I might feel a little better about this but the parents are avoiding any help they could get for their child and pretending nothing happened. This isn't the first time and I won't let my children be the next. You have to follow your gut. Sometimes it might be over-reaction, but I'd rather it that.

The worst for me is my son being the oldest and playing with kids who are quite the youngest or near youngest. A whole new world is opened up - one that I am not ready for.

You are perfectly right to be protective at this a...

2007-10-23T14:48:00.000-06:00

You are perfectly right to be protective at this age. He is, after all, not even at the age of accountability. He is innocent. He is pure. Kids will be curious and get into trouble, but it is our job as parents to be a watchguard. Remember the phrase "teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves." Eventually, that will have to happen. But for the young age of six, you teach them correct principles so that they can govern themselves later. I know that we can't choose our kids friends for them, dang it. I think the best defense we have is to teach our kids who they are and help them find their own strength to weather anything that will inevitably come their way. I hate to think that from this age forward, we only loose more and more control. You are a great parent, Amanda. I'd follow your natural, maternal instincts.

oh so scary. i think back on all of the bad influ...

2007-10-23T13:21:00.000-06:00

oh so scary. i think back on all of the bad influences that some friends had on me when i was little. i really think there was no way my parents could have avoided it. max is such a sweetheart. it sounds like he has a good sense of right and wrong.

This essay, especially your take on Duke, has been...

2007-10-23T10:31:00.000-06:00

This essay, especially your take on Duke, has been nominated by one of our GNMParents readers for Hot Stuff Of The Week. Congratulations and best of luck in the voting!

By the way - you had me at the picture of Pony Boy...

2007-10-22T21:58:00.000-06:00

By the way - you had me at the picture of Pony Boy.

I think there was a conf talk that addressed this,...

2007-10-22T21:53:00.000-06:00

I think there was a conf talk that addressed this, where the parents lived somewhere with a ton of opposition to their values, and when the kids would come home they would have to refute the things said and learned and reiterate what their values were and all worked out. My sister Katie warned me about this when she sent her kid off to school before I did - and how you just let them go and hope they have the knowledge, strength and will to do what is right. I have finally figured it out (having been so far sheltered in Pre-K) It sounds like your Max is doing just fine.

Annette Stayner Knight here - I got your blog from Allie - I hope all at Holladay and the Board is going well.

Here is one of my stories...Carter, also 6, was pl...

2007-10-22T21:03:00.000-06:00

Here is one of my stories...Carter, also 6, was playing with Kindra and they were laughing and being silly and all of a sudden he busts out a "you jackass"! Excuse me?!? I sternly tell him that we don't say that word in this house. "But the big kids on the back playground say it!" It was at that moment that I realized that I have lost control. I can not protect my little Carter all of the time anymore. I can do my best, just like you have but sometimes there will not be one dang thing that I can do! WAAAAAH!! I 100% agree that friends are who make it or break it but I also know that we all come from different backgrounds! This is a hard one! I have even made the comment that I could care less if my kids are total losers and I keep them hibernated in the basement. Then I can protect and hide them away from anything mean or wrong! Is this realistic.. no but does it make me feel like I have control.. yes and do I also know that having choices are a good thing..yes but do I have first hand experience of what horrible things are out there.. unfortunately yes! Sorry...No good answer for you but I will be hoping that you can figure one out and send it my way!