How to be a good parent - Part 2

Just say "good job," when your three year old runs to tell you that

1) she has just gone "peeps" all by herself and

2) that her baby brother is now playing in the unflushed toilet.

Then clean the bathroom while you give your kids a bath.

Disclaimer: This one time event resulted in what I consider to be good parenting behavior. In no way to these type of events always result in such behavior.

How to be a good parent - Part 1

Post a picture of your kids with Santa and Mrs. Claus on your blog.

Wanting

I'd like to believe that material things don't matter much to me -that all I need is the basic simplicities of life to be happy. But lately, I keep imagining the happiness that would fill my life if I were to wake up each morning and eat a bowl of cereal from a fiestaware cereal bowl. I could choose tangerine or shamrock or sunflower depending on my mood, and I am pretty sure the entire day would be better.

I would use the lunch dishes to teach basic colors -- "Seth, what color is your bowl?" -- and numbers -- "Katelin, how many blue plates are on the table?" And instead of tossing a few plastic dishes on the table at dinner time, I would carefully set a new palette of dishes each night. It would be simple. It would be beautiful. I would be happy. Don't you think??

Today...

Sethie's Purple Swollen Teeth - taken just over a week ago

• Today Trevor woke up just 20 minutes before he was supposed to be at the dentist.
• After Trevor left I realized that we forgot to pull out the carseat so that Katelin could get a ride to preschool with a friend.
• Today Sethie's second upper front tooth finally made an appearance.
• Today I felt like I had accomplished nothing during the 2.5 hours Katelin was at preschool.
• Today I looked at the mold growing the cracks of my tile in the bathroom and simply COULDN'T take it anymore.
• Today Katelin & I fixed the wooden letters that make her name and re-hung them in her bedroom.
• Today Katelin "spelled" silly words on my back while she procrastinated going down for quiet time.
• Today the phone lines went down and we couldn't make or receive any phone calls any phone calls.
• Today my kids managed to make three big messes in less than two hours.
• Today I spent what felt like the ENTIRE afternoon cleaning the bathrooms while my kids destroyed the rest of the house.
• Today Trevor rescued me by helping at least straighten up the rest of the house and suggesting Rudy's instead of a home-cooked meal
• Today Seth and I bonded with a few grins and laughs during dinner
• Today we caught up with an old friend while the AT&T repairman fixed our phones and our internet line (I hope).
• Today it is late. I am tired. I will probably wake up with Seth three times between now and six in the morning, but today, life is good.