LJ Idol Week 11, Part 2: If the Creek Don’t Rise

[proceedcyclone]

A rite of passage, it seems, for new parents is to withstand the barrage of unsolicited advice. She should eat this, but she shouldn't eat that. If she’s unhappy, onlookers readily assess the problem as if you haven’t spent literally every day of her life with her and cannot possibly understand what causes a shift in her mood

Comments

[ragnarok_08]

This was very compelling!

[banana_galaxy]

It's amazing sometimes how oblivious people can be to the fact kids' intelligence doesn't just sprout out of nowhere - someone's putting the hard work in to encourage that.

I can relate because my husband thinks I'm a bad mother, but both my kids are above average in their intelligence, and that's a direct result of me interacting with them the way I have, and fostering a strong work ethic and pride in their achievements.

[alycewilson]

The unsolicited advice doesn't stop, but as you grow more familiar with this role of parenting, it becomes less irksome because you know what you want to do.

[nikkiii_brown]

Omg my grandfather is the same way. Haha! One day he asked me, "when is that boy gonna be potty trained?" (my son was barely 2 at the time), and I said, "I guess when YOU decide to train him." Lol. I was just so annoyed by that time with all his little nit picking that it came out. Thankfully he didn't take offense, though.

[halfshellvenus]

Arghhhh. Your mother-in-law's comments sound like an ongoing challenge to your patience and sanity. I'm gritting my teeth, and I don't even know her!