My daughter went to SLC with her daddy this weekend to visit her cousin. I was seriously reluctant for this to happen, almost to the point of pulling my 51% mommy card and saying "NO". It's not that I don't trust my husband with the kids but...I don't trust him when peer pressure is involved. Here is the problem. The cousin they were going to visit is really great but his dad (a single dad) is...hmmm...has a different parenting style than I do. My husband thinks he is a fantastic parent and I tend to disagree. Well, since my husband thinks his brother-in-laws parenting is super fabulous then I worry he may do something stupid at the suggestion of his brother-in-law. Say...get wasted drunk after they put the kids to bed and forget she is there?!
So, after a stern talking-to from my friend Jen who always advocates in favor of my husband, I decided to relinquish a little bit of my controlling self and let her go.
They did fine. She ate tons of junk food from gas stations, didn't take any naps, played for hours uninterrupted with her cousin and spent some great one-on-one time with her dad. Was it like I would have done? NO! Is she hurt or scarred for life? NO. Is my husband a better father and her a better child because of it? YES! Should I be thankful that my husband wants to spend time with his kids? YES! Did I spend some much needed one-on-one time with my other daughter? YES! So in the end..it was good. Really good.
When my daughters grow up to be confident women who don't have serious issues with men...I will thank my husband who treated them with kindness, told them they were smart and beautiful and spent a lot of time with them.
2 comments:
This is so true. Isn't it so funny how they miss the little (albeit, many) details that we as mothers think are so important such as wheter or not their clothes match or hair is combed to perfection 23 out of 24 hours of the day? When really, are they going to die?? I think that is the problem with most households. The mothers are so worried that everything is not going to be done to her standards that they crush any hope for moments such as these that will enhance her life forever rather than scar her. I know, I have done this in the past but now that there are 4 of them, I realize the importance of one on one for all of us involved and it has surely enhanced our lives. You are such amn awesome mom. I really hope people give you the credit you deserve for that!!
Lori
I want an update you crazy, busy chick!!
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