Best article I have read in awhile

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/19/granderson.children.dress/index.html

A friend of mine on FB posted this article on their home page, and sometimes when people post links to articles I might not read them. 1 usually I don't care, and 2 I sometimes will disagree with the link and of course open my big mouth and have opinions. And usually my opinions start a small war and I lose friends.

But anyway, I saw this article and I had to read it. And I wholeheartedly agree with the author. I can not understand where parenting has gone. When I was younger I wasn't allowed to even allowed to wear lipgloss until I was 13. And make up, no way.

Jared and I both agree our daughters are not allowed many things that a lot of little girls wear. They do not wear clothing with words written on the butts. Jared made that perfectly clear before we even HAD daughters. Why do parents want to bring attention to their daughters' asses? Don't we have to worry about sick pedophiles enough without bringing attention to our kids' body parts?

Another thing we don't allow is bikinis. At first Jared banned ALL binkinis for our kids. However once I realized how hard it is to get a wet one piece swimsuit on and off Hadley when she has to go potty or was in a dirty swim diaper, I modified this rule a bit. Our girls are now allowed to wear a two-piece but the top must come down in a tankini style. No skimpy bikinis at all.

Like this guy, I am shocked when I see these young girls wearing skimpy clothing, clothing an adult would wear. Or little girls with make up on. What is wrong with these parents? Why would you let your kids dress like this?

I really think a lot of it stems from the laziness of parents. Parents now don't want to deal with their kids when they say no, so they don't. They let them talk back, run around wherever they want. Stay up to all hours, spend hours locked in bedrooms with boyfriends or girlfriends. They let them watch whatever they want, and when they do say no, the kids have a tantrum and they give in.

I see it a lot, and it starts when these kids are infants. Parents jump on the bandwagon, they baby proof every little thing in their houses so the babies never learn NOT to touch things that aren't theirs. They don't say no, and when Jr has a fit they give in and give Jr whatever he wants. Awww, Jr won't sleep except on my chest? Well now Jr sleeps in the parents' bed til he is 8.

I truly think it's laziness and also parents want to be their kids' friends. Kids don't NEED more friends, they need a parent to set down ground rules. When I was young I had curfews, rules, chores, and if I got a bad grade on my report card you better believe my ass was grass. I got spanked, my mouth washed out with soap and even my face slapped a time or two for rolling my eyes at my mother.

And you know what? I grew up respecting my parents. I was terrified to break curfew or get caught with a bad grade. I knew there were consequences for my actions. Kids now don't. They talk back to adults, have no regard for other people's property. And what happens to them? Mommy and Daddy ignore it or fix it for them.

Even summer school no longer is a "punishment". My stepson had to do summer school, and know what it involved? Sitting in his pajamas at 3 in the afternoon doing "school" on the computer. Where is the punishment in that? Where is the shame of spending your summer IN school?

The best is these parents who "don't believe in saying NO to my child." Are you KIDDING me? Usually the parents who say this are first time parents with infants and have NO clue what they are in for. I can guarentee that attitude will change once they realize they have created a 3 year old monster who is climbing their curtains and smashing their plate on the floor because they don't want to eat dinner.

I just think society has gone so soft on their children. Parents are under constant scrutiny of how they parent and God forbid you discipline your child in public without raising a few eyebrows and having some asshole calling CPS for child abuse.