Written by Julie Ryan Evans on CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
When it comes to life, I'm all about ease. If we're talking commutes, cooking, clothing, you name it, easier is usually better in my book. When it comes to parenting, however, taking the easy way out can have some hard-knock consequences down the road.
No one wants to listen to whining, crying or complaining, and we all want to spare our children as much heartache as possible. We want to give them every advantage in life, and minimize the bumps in the road for all involved. Unfortunately, our overzealous attempts to pave the way can result in spoiled, self-entitled children.
I'll be the first to admit that I've been guilty of many of these things; I think we all are from time to-time. And it's not that any one of them on occasion is going to create a brat; rather, it's an accumulation of many over time that can be problematic. See how many of these easy ways out you take as a parent.
1. Making multiple meals
No one wants to see their child go hungry or eat to the drone of complaints every night, but moms who make different meals for everyone are doing no one any favors -- especially themselves.
2. Buying siblings birthday gifts when it's not their birthday
Sure, it might avoid some fighting or moping when all of the gifts go to one child, but that's what birthdays are about -- one person's special day.
3. Medals for everyone
Giving kids a medal just for playing on a team is more than just a waste of money; it takes away the significance of a real medal when they actually earn one someday. Sure, it's easier than seeing them cry if they don't get one, but they have to learn about losing and winning sometime.
4. Never telling them they're wrong
Sometimes their friend/teacher/another adult is in the right and your child is wrong. It's that simple, though many parents refuse to acknowledge this and look to blame anyone but their own child.
5. Not making them do chores
Yes, it's easier to just do it ourselves oftentimes, but they're not learning anything if we do. It may take an hour of whining for a 10-minute job, but the lesson is worth it.
6. Bribing them
This is my most common infraction -- dangling something in front of them to make them obey. Then I wonder why, when I ask them to do something simple, they say, "what will you give me?"
What easy ways out do you take as a parent?
More from The Stir: