On Disciplining Kids according to Mom

My Mom maintained a philosophy when raising her kids and she passed it on to me when I had kids. At first I thought there is no way that it can apply to every situation but really it does.

"Unless it is morally wrong or will do physical harm never say No" - Mom

You see, if you think about it ... how often do you say No because that is the first thing that comes to your mind? It is lazy parenting because you do not want to put any thought into what your child is asking/doing or maybe it is just not convenient for you. My Mom felt that if you say No too often for no good reason your kids will not respect you, they will stop listening. You probably start sounding like Charlie Brown's teacher ... WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH!

You do not want your kids to stop listening to you! I have told this story in an earlier blog but it is one of my favorites.

Mom tells of how she was just a very little girl and she was walking the path from the house to the barn. Her Mother looked out the kitchen window and saw a rattlesnake right in front of her in the path. Grandmother yelled, "Grace Laverne Tilson you stop right where you are!" Because my Grandmother was not the type to rattle off "No" at the drop of a hat without good reason my Mother respected her and knew she always had her best interests at heart ... so she stopped dead in her tracks She did not move until Granddaddy came and killed the snake. I am willing to bet there are many young kids these days that would have gotten bit by that snake.