Is it lazy parenting or...

letting the kids be independent? We started a discussion at the park about this because I have been thinking about it lately. I didn't see Sam on the playground anywhere, so I went to find him. Instead of searching every nook and cranny, I just stood there and yelled his name. He said "what?" so I knew he was okay and I went back to sit down and chat with my friends. So, I asked them what they thought. My friend Michelle brought up a good point. She said that she doesn't think it's lazy at all because she spends LOTS of time with them by herself and doing things with them. On the days when they join friends at the park, there's nothing wrong with sitting down for a chat while the kids play together. As long as you're not completely neglecting them and letting them run off. Good point! I've really been having this debate in my head for a while now because I am, by nature, kind of a lazy person. I like to sleep late, some days I don't want to do anything but sit around, and I really dislike being asked 400 times during the day to get up or stop what I'm doing to do things for my kids. I know, that's what parenting is all about, right? Contrary to what Audrey may tell you, I do help them during the day, especially Sam because he's such a mess. But Audrey and Katie are at an age where they can do for themselves and even do for others. Why not use that to my advantage? I yell from my seat in front of the computer, "Audrey, what is your brother doing?" when I can't hear him. I hear her sigh and grumble mostly to herself, "Why do I have to do EVERYTHING?" I think it's smart. I get to have little breaks once in a while and my kids learn how to be a bit more independent.

Sam and Audrey both got haircuts the other day. Sam looks so grown up! He looks more like a little boy and less like a baby. Guess it was bound to happen. It always seems like 2 is the magic age when babies change into little kids. And the girls got hair flair put in. It's cute. It's little glittery strands that they stylist ties into their hair. People are always asking us about it. The girls love it. Aud's hair looks a lot better too. Her hair is too thin to be very long. It looks too scraggly. Is that a word? It's just everywhere and it drives me crazy. So, she got a bob and it definitely looks better than it did. This picture of her was taken before she got it cut. I'll have to take another, but this shows her hair flair anyway.




My kids have been talking a lot lately about old people. Anyone over the age of 12 is old apparently. Our neigbors were cleaning up their RV for the summer and Audrey made a comment about old people always cleaning. Then, when we went to Oklahoma and were staying at Grandma and Grandpa's house, there was a discussion about retreiving a lost bathing suit that had accidentally been tossed into a hole in the wall. Audrey asked why they couldn't just reach down there and get it. I told her that it was too far down, so Grandpa had to take the wall apart to get to it. She says, "Yeah, old people have short arms, don't they?" Then a few days later when we saw an old wooden horse-drawn wagon, I pointed and said, "Look at that old wagon." Audrey replied, "Yeah, that's really old. Like from 1995." Last week we had some of Vince's cousins visiting. After they left, Katie asked me why "those old people had to leave". I swear. It would be funny if it weren't so insulting!

Well, I need to get Audrey to a birthday party. It starts in a bit and I have no idea where this place is, so I better start early. I would make her walk and find her own way so I don't have to get up, but it's raining and I would feel bad.