Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Parenting Quiz: Are you too strict or too lenient?

Answer: Yes!

And, O parents new and old, here is how to interpret the sometimes confusing behavior of observers around you who tell you (or make it obvious) that you are too strict or too lenient:

• when you do something which unavoidably and disturbingly provokes a memory of what their parents did, then you are being too strict

• if your kid does something they didn't get to do, then you are being too lenient!
  

Note that being a parent in no way makes you immune to this. As soon as you are with other people and their kids, yup, like clockwork every five minutes: too strict! too lenient! too strict! too lenient!