Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ah, just look at it this way...I've found that I've paid for nearly every "I would never" I've ever uttered in my life. Give them an "mmm-hmm" and know that they'll most likely be eating their words before too long.

I like to use the phrase, "Well, bless your heart!"

Ha! Which is just Southern-talk for "F you!"

I just laugh at those comments and know they will not be saying the same thing when their children are my children's age.

Interesting. As a former nanny and now mom of young kids, my pet peeve is moms of older kids telling me how unrealistic my rules are (e.g., I'm a fool for limiting candy, since they do nothing but eat candy all day in elementary school). Just because a certain issue wasn't a prioirty to enforce in your house doesn't mean it's not realistic. It just wasn't realistic FOR YOUR FAMILY!

For what it's worth, OP, you don't sound like the type of mom I'm complaining about, I just wanted to share the other side of the coin.

The birthday party thing cracks me up. 8? Seriously? My daughter's 5, and would be totally fine with a drop-off party. People who won't drop their 8 yo off are the same people who call college professors, or employers, when their kid gets a bad grade/evaluation. (Although I'd LOVE it if the parent of one of my dimwit junior employees called me to complain, especially if I was having a lousy day.)

Love the know-it-alls with infants. I got lectured this weekend on the best approach to potty training my youngest (not my first) child by a neighbor with a 1yo. My preggo friend has given me endless wisdom on the evils of boys-with-guns and girls-with-princesses, and threw herself a baby shower where only organic clothes and wooden toys were welcome. I'm sure I did some of this once upon a time, but seriously what is it about having a child that makes so many women think they are the fount of all wisdom on child-rearing. I look at parents with kids older than mine in hopes of picking up a trick or two, not as an opportunity to lecture.

I agree on everything except serving kids separate meals. Never have, never will.