As a parent what have you done that you swore you never would do?

Question

For me was let my children watch to much TV or use TV to keep them queit. My daughter is not even a year and i find myself turning on Seasme Street just to go take a shower

Answer 1

i have caught myself being too over-protective

Answer 2

I am with you there...TV is something that can be used in moderation to help educated a child as well as give the parents a break too. I try to limit my son to no more then 2 hours a day. That also means that Mommy only gets 3-4 total a day as well...including late night programs...I find that my day goes better when he has time by himself weather it be with the TV or in his room...hey as a parent whatever works is sometimes the best answer.

Answer 3

You can buy the 19-set DVD collection of Baby Einstein (on eBay for 25$), which is a learning program up to 2 y/o. This may make you feel a little better.

Believe me, you'll do a lot more that you swore you'd never do. Right now, I'm dealing with a son who quit college in his junior year (as an engineer) to become an enlisted marine. I said I would never allow him to quit college. What can I do? He leaves next month.

Answer 4

i am not a parent yet but plan to be someday in the future.
my promise is to not hit my child unless he has done something beyond reason of needing it. i plan on taking stuff away that is more of a punishment then anything i can think of.
i applaud you wmkinger for showing who is boss when one trys to threaten the parents into not hitting them. but then again you can always wait until you get home, now beating them black and blue is not what im suggesting here but if the time calls for it a good pop will set them straight i often wonder though that that may do more harm then good for they could hold a grudge and do things just to get back at you and that may not end well. all in all, one can only do what they deem best to discipline thier child and not at what others tell them is or isnt right to do.
for everyone else here i hope what ever it is that you promised yourself as a parent not to do will hold strong.!!!
good luck to all!!!!

Answer 5

I feel my biggest was not to hit my kids, and for the most part I had done that (I had 4 kids (2 boys 2 girls) last one in the house teenager moving out soon I hope lol), but there are times when they needed a good hit. Funny though thinking about it only the boys, the girls have always figured that dad (me) was at the point (fire in the eyes I guess). I feel the oldest (FYI who is now 25 years old) one got it the worse, and maybe this made all the others realize that dad has a point not to push him over.

There was not many cases just a few, like hitting his sisters until she was black and blue, by passing the alarm system so that he could get out at night to be with his friends (we install Alarm systems here in Western MA., so he learned how to do it by working with me). The worse had to be when he stole a package of baseball cards from Walmart (yes like $ .99), and I had to go downtown to the police station to pick him up. His smart mouth told me (he was about 15) that I would never hit him for it right now because he would scream for the police to come get me!! Well that was the worse one, police walked by did nothing, most I felt were thankfull that dad cared this much to follow up. All added up maybe about four to five times, but as I got older I realized that we as parents can not make up things we would not do.

I am not saying that it is ok to hit your kids, but sometimes you need strong and quick punishment. I did try the "time out" methode, but it was more work for me then it was punishing for them. Taking away things they liked: TV, games, stay in the yard, pool, bike, and so on just worked much better for me. I do not think that it is ever right to remove all options from the table, just limit the more harsh ones for the really harsh times you may need them.

All kids are different and with step parents and kids life has changed, and we as parents may need to go back to some of the parenting skills we learned as kids, after all we did not turn out so bad did we?

Answer 6

I have always sworn that I would NEVER strike at my children.Once when my daughter(the oldest one) was 5,she made me angry and I slapped her(it was in the morning).I went to work and I could concentrate all day.I was really sorry and I even started to cry during the lunch break.This was the first and the last time I slapped(or spanked) my children.

Answer 7

I swore I would never allow my children to see me upset...and they have, it really tears them up, but sometimes being a divorced parent you get stressed out. My boys are awesome and they are great when trying to make me not be upset.

Answer 8

Most of these answers are very serious, but I have to say mine that is not so serious. I said I would never ever lick my napkin and wipe my child's face with it. GUILTY! Hahahaha! Have good day everybody!

Answer 9

Be a parent-especially of 3!!

Answer 10

i think mine would be the same. only he doesn't watch that much tv as he plays those darn video games. I hate video games because they have robbed him of his youth. If your child is young enough that she hasn't experienced the video games yet I suggest you never let her near them.

Answer 11

I allowed my son to date before he finished High School.