Come on people...use your brains!

So, I read a post on facebook today that was talking about another post that I saw on facebook...here are my thoughts:

Post #1: Stop doing things for your children that they can do for themselves.
Post #2: Please keep doing things for your children that they can do for themselves.

The first post is pretty self explanatory- stop doing things for your kids that they can do...don't wake them up in the morning.  Stop making them gourmet breakfasts.  Stop doing their chores.

The second post was talking about how she brushes and braids her daughters hair every night.  How it's a ritual and how they have girl talk and say prayers...and all that stuff.  She said I read the article saying to not do stuff for your kids...but I can't help it.  I love that time.  And the writers grandma told her to keep doing it.

It's these type of articles that annoy me!  Now, I don't have kids yet...so I know that I'm judging ahead of my time.  And I'm not even really judging.  I just know how I grew up, and I see how my sister raises her kids.

#1. I think kids can do a lot for themselves.  No on needs to be waking up a middle school in the morning.  I was getting up on my own when I was in first and second grade.

#2.  I was also making myself breakfast!  Toast is easy, cereal is easy, waffles are easy...come on people!

I did not take the article to mean that every 10 year old should be self-sufficient!  Or that you can't have any bonding time with your child.  I loved nothing more than to have my mom french braid my hair.  But I can tell you what...we had to plan that out before that moment.  My mom would say...I'm not doing it right now,  you should have asked last night.  I mean, with 4 girls...can you even imagine?  Ha ha ha!

So, now onto the second post...I feel like this woman totally missed what the first post was about.  It was talking about some bonding time that you have with your daughter.  My dad got up with us every morning for "Breakfast Club".  He did not make us breakfast, but he did eat breakfast with us in the morning.  That was a wonderful bonding moment for us.  But he did not wake us up, or make breakfast for us.

Come on parents, you have to let your kids be somewhat independent!  They need that!  There are some parents at school who talk about waking up their high schooler?!?!  I'm sorry what???  It's because they have learned that you will wake them up!  Sheesh!  As Will Smith just said in an interview..."let them fail".  It's okay!  They will recover!

Obviously, if your kid has a sleeping problem- then that is something different.  But let's be real...how likely is that for so many parents?  My husband didn't know how to do laundry until he moved in with a friend at age 24!!!  I love my mother-in-law, but she did him a disservice!  She did so much for her children, that it actually hurt their ability to grow!

So, I agree with post #1, don't do things for your children that they can do for themselves...but don't eliminate bonding time with them either!  Be smart!