Reply to If you could go back to when they were 7 - would you change anything or do it over again?

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[quote=Anonymous]I wish I'd cleaned our diet and our house of chemicals before DD was born! I wish I'd delayed vaccinating DD because of her multiple allergies and chemical sensitivities. I wish I'd listened to my gut instead of doctors and specialists who saw my child for 30 minutes, and then suddenly they knew more about my kid than I did. I wish I'd been smarter, been more patient, let things go, been braver, been calmer.

The things I did right: 
--making playing an instrument NOT an option. Told all my kids they have to play until they are 16, and then they can quit if they like. I would have started lessons at age 10, though for DD, who didn't like playing until she was 10. 
--family meals and traditions. We eat together every night, no matter what. Holiday traditions started when the kids were small and I keep them up every year. Even small things loom large in their minds. My DD surprised me a few years ago by saying she didn't want to go to sleep away camp during July 4th because it was such an important holiday at home!! It was not much to me, just a special meal and some sparklers, but it meant a lot to her! 
--no TV. We got rid of TV when DD was 18 months. Best decision I ever made, for all of us. 
-- we don't drink. Never have. No alcohol in the house. DH's mother is an alcoholic, and we've told the kids they are vulnerable to alcoholism because of that. We've talked about alcohol from an early age. We don't make it appealing, because, to DH, drinking is horrible. Nothing pleasant about having your mom fall asleep drunk at the dinner table every night! 
--set rules and boundaries that are stricter than a lot of other families, and stick to them, even when kids protest. I think it helps make them feel safer and protected. Relax the rules as they get older and show more responsible behavior.
-- follow my gut, not my head, when it comes to parenting. my gut tells me the truth, even when my head is directing me differently. [/quote]

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