Lest I forget...

I wrote this one day while sitting in a class a while back and was reminded of it today.  I shared it with a teacher who told me I should send it to the paper.  I chuckled and figure they wouldn't be interested in it but thought if nothing else I would at least blog it. 

It should be understood that I have a rare perspective of education that not many people are privy to.  I go into teacher's classrooms and interpret and I see the interactions between teachers and students, the discipline/lack of discipline, the interesting/boring, the genius/idiocracy within a classroom from students/teachers.  I have also seen that since No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has been put into action not only have our educational expectations dropped to a staggering gut-wrenching low, but so have our disciplinary expectations, not just in school but across the board. 

So I am likewise reminded of a poem that an old friend, Doris Metts, shared with me many years ago that I printed and gave to my mama.  I am proud to say that I was blessed with one of "The Meanest Mothers In The World" and I can only hope that I am just as mean.  But with times changing there are things that I will add to the list of things to do for mean mothers.  I wrote a similar blog a while back titled: Rules of Engagment. But I figured it was time to add a few more things to the list lest I forget.  That way if you see me doing these things with my children later, I beg you to throw my own words in my face and remind me. 

Lest I forget....

• I will not assume my child is an angel.
• I will not allow my child to dress like a small prostitute. (linked is a MUST READ article!!!)
• I will teach my child that if you intend the keep your teeth you will not smack them at me.
• I will drop into my child's school to observe my child and the teachers. 
• I would prefer to send my child to a private school since I feel that NCLB has lowered standards within the public forum to a ridiculous point that I feel to be insufficient for my child (donations to assist in this endeavor are accepted).
• I will teach my child manners - that they had better use.
• My child will understand that a phone call home from school for a negative reason will result in a whipping when they get home.
• I will teach my child the difference between racism and honesty.
• I will teach my child what sarcasm is, how to understand it, and how to use it - even when it goes right over everyone else head. 
• I will teach my child that becoming pregnant before you are married isn't cool but is a disgrace and embarrassment to the family.  It doesn't mean we don't love you but you should be prepared for the consequences, ridicule, and backlash that will ensue from those who you have disappointed.
• I will teach my child that my house = my rules.  You are otherwise welcome to show yourself to the door or I will happily find you an alternative boarding school (i.e. boot camp or military school).
• I will teach my child that just because your friends have a cell phone doesn't mean that you should.  You can have a cellphone that will dial someone other than your parents when you are able to pay the bill yourself.  (God Bless the person that invented the Firefly).

I am sure that the list will continue to grow and as always I encourage everyone to add their own do's/don'ts to the list or to tell me how I'm lying to myself.  Either way it will make for good reading and/or an interesting debate.

Rules of Engagement

When engaging our children there are certain rules to remember. Each of us has a different opinion of how to do things and go about them depending on how we are raised. There are things that happen throughout our lives that change this perspective. However, there are things that I want to remember should my perspective change. I was inspired after reading Tori Spelling's book Mommywood to write these down lest I forget. I will continue to add to this list through the years for that reason and to allow me to see exactly how my perspective changes. Only time will tell. Some of the things I will write will be based on how I was raised; while others will be written because of things I have seen others do that I don't agree with or want to fall prey to. Please feel free to express your opinion and thoughts on these and share your perspective. Who knows - you might changes someone else’s for the better in the process,

So my rules are as follows:

Appropriate dress:

- I will NOT dress my child like a miniature prostitute.

- Kids will be kids and cloths are washable. Kids will get dirty and that's okay. But if we're going to town, the doctor, church, or something of the sort I will at least try to make sure they're clean when we leave the house.

Internet safety:

- IF I feel my teenager can appropriately wear a a bikini and not fall out of it and be appropriately covered (none of those string things), I will not post a full body pictures of her in said bikini on a website. She can be just as cute while dressed. You never know who is looking at your pictures or who might somehow gain access to them.

- I will not post pictures of my child naked on the internet no matter how cute it may be. My family can wait to see those pics when they come visit.

- The internet isn't a private space....your use of it isn't either. No I don't want to be in my kids business but at the same time I know the dangers of the internet. My children's use of it will be monitored.

Socialization:

- I will know my childrens friends, their home phone number, their cell phone number, and their parents. There are OH SO MANY reasons for this. Besides, it's so easy to keep this information accessible - just keep the phone synced to your computer.