Don't Make Me Go Jack Bauer....

Being a stay at home mom has it's pros and cons.  The pros of course are you are there for your children.  As a young teenager, I literally scoffed at that.  I was going to have a career.  Staying at home was so 1950's.  But maturing and having children does something to your brain.  It changes it.  Also I realized I have control issues.  Another problem I have is, I am an enabler.  And I really need to stop being that way.

Here are some examples....

Over the weekend, Kristin was sick.  Not like deathly ill just blah I feel like crap kind of sick.  She spent the night in our room.  On the floor.  Come on she is 14.  Last night she was hinting at it, and I was proud of myself for simply telling her, "You will be much more comfortable in your own bed and sleep much better."  Which is true.  She did.  Ryan woke up in the night with a bad dream.  When I had bad dreams, my mom always took me back to my room, laid down with me til I went back to sleep.  I don't know how she did this.  And she worked!

This morning, I was running back and forth and up and down getting the two younger ones ready for school.  And I decided I was done.  Okay as I said, my mom worked so I was forced to be independent. Is that a bad thing?  I don't think so.  I made my own lunches, I made my breakfast, I made sure I got dressed, I walked--yes walked people, to school, and I was...brace yourself...A LATCH KEY KID.  Anyone too young to know what that is?  Google it.    No, my kids will not walk or need to be latch key kids, but they can do way more than they do...which right now...is practically nothing.

What about your kids?  How much do they do for themselves?  Is it time to go Jack Bauer?




Comments

Emmy said…
It is so easy to just do things too often as 1-want to get it done 2- I am a control freak too.
But yea, in the long run it doesn't do anyone any good.

So good for you and good luck :)
November 14, 2011 at 10:00 AM
mormonhermitmom said…
There are some things that if I let them do it, it either never gets done, or something gets damaged/overlooked/done wrong. I hate the whole "job trainer" part of my job.
November 14, 2011 at 10:27 AM
Anonymous said…
I need to work on this. I still put on my son shoes.
November 14, 2011 at 11:19 AM
Liz Mays said…
It's time to go Jack Bauer when YOU are ready to go Jack Bauer. I enjoyed babying my kids until they got to high school, and then I knew they needed to start being more self-reliant for their own good. But when they came home from college on breaks, etc. I totally spoiled them!
November 14, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Nicole said…
My mom always worked... in fact when I was younger... my mom would go to work at 6am, get off around 6pm, fix dinner, go to her sewing room and sew until around midnight, go to sleep and wake up between 4 and 5 and do it all over again, not b/c she had to but b/c she wanted to. Her job really was just 8-5 with a little over time involved. I was more dependent on my dad. That's all I've ever known. As I got older, she did get rid of that job and it was a little easier. I "don't have" kids right now (step lives with her mom) so I'm not sure how I'll be, but when the daughter is with us, she is pretty self sufficient for the most part. I'm not sure if that has to do with being at her house or what...
November 14, 2011 at 12:35 PM
Urban Earthworm said…
Since both my parents worked, I grew up very independent, just like you. I try very hard to instill that in Punky. She has oodles of chores and is pretty independent, but she does still tend to revert to trying to get one of us to do things for her the second she can't figure something out.
November 14, 2011 at 12:44 PM
Christina Lee said…
*pets Jack--miss you* :-)))

Oh yeah we try different independent things--brush teeth, wash yourself in the tub etc.

Good luck!
November 14, 2011 at 1:23 PM
Macey said…
I do a LOT for my kids...they need to do more for themselves, but when I try to make them, they fight it because they aren't used to having to do it.
November 14, 2011 at 1:28 PM
Janette @ The Johanson Journey said…
This is a tough one b/c I am a working mom (although home on maternity leave now) but the second I let my son in my room to sleep, he wants to be there every night and finds ways to stall and cry about it every day following.. My kiddos are still pretty young but I'll be interested to see how independent or dependent they are when they do start! Following you now :) Got your info from Emmy!!
November 15, 2011 at 4:05 PM
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