We're Too Cool For Rules
We are basically an anti-rules family. We don't go with the flow and generally don't do things traditionally like most people. We don't break the law. We just do our own thing. I imagine we are not the only family that is like this. Neither Hot Daddy or I currently work outside of the home so our daily schedule is quite flexible or was until our son started kindergarten a couple weeks ago. Of course once Hot Daddy finishes up his Ph.D then he will get back to working outside the home teaching at a university unless of course we hit the lottery or one of his or my several online businesses make us rich. The latter will probably not happen but wishful thinking is fun!
And, now I bring you the current battle between Hot Daddy and I. Please tell me I'm right or wrong or tell me were both crazy and to just get over it already.
The point of my post is rules and rules have been an issue between Hot Daddy and I every morning before Future Bam goes to school. Basically Hot Daddy doesn't mind if FB is late. He says children shouldn't feel rushed and shouldn't be brainwashed into thinking that they are going to get into trouble if they are late or don't feel like going to school because after all it's only kindergarten. I agree that children shouldn't feel like it's a big deal to be late every once in a while but when a child attends a public school it is our responsibility to get them there on time and to help them go by the rules of the school. Yes, I hate that I am having to listen to "the school" in regards to MY son.
Hot Daddy doesn't want our children growing up thinking that they have to always go by rules imposed on them by someone else (anyone outside of us as parents). He thinks that if we bring our boys up this way that they will feel like they have to rush to get everywhere or that it's the end of the world if they are late. Basically he wants to teach our boys to f**K authority! To do what they want and to not feel like they have to go along with the crowd.
I, too, want some of the same things for our boys but I also realize that at some point our kids have to learn that sometimes they have to do things they don't want to do. I do want them to think outside the box, to feel like they can do what they want and not what someone else tells them they have to do BUT while they are in the public school we have to come up with a solution. We can't use the school as an example if we want to keep our kids there.
I'm all for f**king authority to a point but there's only so far you can go when your kid is in school. I can hear HOT Daddy now as he reads this post, "Hey! Your making too big of a deal out of this! He's only in kindergarten!" Why, yes, I guess I am. :)
*Don't go too crazy on me. For the record, FB has not missed any school and has never actually been "counted" late. It's just one of those married couple battles of I'm right-no-I'm right. LOL.
**Edited To Add**: Want to win a twice-a-month subscription to the Tessy & Tab Reading Club for your kids! ($48 value) Check out the contest and learn all about the duck & kangaroo at Mom ReviewsLabels: kindergarten, rules, school
>Go to the Mom blog Homepage
We are basically an anti-rules family. We don't go with the flow and generally don't do things traditionally like most people. We don't break the law. We just do our own thing. I imagine we are not the only family that is like this. Neither Hot Daddy or I currently work outside of the home so our daily schedule is quite flexible or was until our son started kindergarten a couple weeks ago. Of course once Hot Daddy finishes up his Ph.D then he will get back to working outside the home teaching at a university unless of course we hit the lottery or one of his or my several online businesses make us rich. The latter will probably not happen but wishful thinking is fun!
And, now I bring you the current battle between Hot Daddy and I. Please tell me I'm right or wrong or tell me were both crazy and to just get over it already.
The point of my post is rules and rules have been an issue between Hot Daddy and I every morning before Future Bam goes to school. Basically Hot Daddy doesn't mind if FB is late. He says children shouldn't feel rushed and shouldn't be brainwashed into thinking that they are going to get into trouble if they are late or don't feel like going to school because after all it's only kindergarten. I agree that children shouldn't feel like it's a big deal to be late every once in a while but when a child attends a public school it is our responsibility to get them there on time and to help them go by the rules of the school. Yes, I hate that I am having to listen to "the school" in regards to MY son.
Hot Daddy doesn't want our children growing up thinking that they have to always go by rules imposed on them by someone else (anyone outside of us as parents). He thinks that if we bring our boys up this way that they will feel like they have to rush to get everywhere or that it's the end of the world if they are late. Basically he wants to teach our boys to f**K authority! To do what they want and to not feel like they have to go along with the crowd.
I, too, want some of the same things for our boys but I also realize that at some point our kids have to learn that sometimes they have to do things they don't want to do. I do want them to think outside the box, to feel like they can do what they want and not what someone else tells them they have to do BUT while they are in the public school we have to come up with a solution. We can't use the school as an example if we want to keep our kids there.
I'm all for f**king authority to a point but there's only so far you can go when your kid is in school. I can hear HOT Daddy now as he reads this post, "Hey! Your making too big of a deal out of this! He's only in kindergarten!" Why, yes, I guess I am. :)
*Don't go too crazy on me. For the record, FB has not missed any school and has never actually been "counted" late. It's just one of those married couple battles of I'm right-no-I'm right. LOL.
**Edited To Add**: Want to win a twice-a-month subscription to the Tessy & Tab Reading Club for your kids! ($48 value) Check out the contest and learn all about the duck & kangaroo at Mom Reviews
And, now I bring you the current battle between Hot Daddy and I. Please tell me I'm right or wrong or tell me were both crazy and to just get over it already.
The point of my post is rules and rules have been an issue between Hot Daddy and I every morning before Future Bam goes to school. Basically Hot Daddy doesn't mind if FB is late. He says children shouldn't feel rushed and shouldn't be brainwashed into thinking that they are going to get into trouble if they are late or don't feel like going to school because after all it's only kindergarten. I agree that children shouldn't feel like it's a big deal to be late every once in a while but when a child attends a public school it is our responsibility to get them there on time and to help them go by the rules of the school. Yes, I hate that I am having to listen to "the school" in regards to MY son.
Hot Daddy doesn't want our children growing up thinking that they have to always go by rules imposed on them by someone else (anyone outside of us as parents). He thinks that if we bring our boys up this way that they will feel like they have to rush to get everywhere or that it's the end of the world if they are late. Basically he wants to teach our boys to f**K authority! To do what they want and to not feel like they have to go along with the crowd.
I, too, want some of the same things for our boys but I also realize that at some point our kids have to learn that sometimes they have to do things they don't want to do. I do want them to think outside the box, to feel like they can do what they want and not what someone else tells them they have to do BUT while they are in the public school we have to come up with a solution. We can't use the school as an example if we want to keep our kids there.
I'm all for f**king authority to a point but there's only so far you can go when your kid is in school. I can hear HOT Daddy now as he reads this post, "Hey! Your making too big of a deal out of this! He's only in kindergarten!" Why, yes, I guess I am. :)
*Don't go too crazy on me. For the record, FB has not missed any school and has never actually been "counted" late. It's just one of those married couple battles of I'm right-no-I'm right. LOL.
**Edited To Add**: Want to win a twice-a-month subscription to the Tessy & Tab Reading Club for your kids! ($48 value) Check out the contest and learn all about the duck & kangaroo at Mom ReviewsLabels: kindergarten, rules, school
>Go to the Mom blog Homepage
12 Comments:
I'm with you -- but, I was 2 minutes late for kindergaten today, and I'm mortified.
Ok I totally understand where you are coming from, really I am all about outside the box ....
BUT ...
What about the other children that have to wait for the late one? What does that teach your child? Screw others their feelings, their time means nothing? Only YOU matter. That there should be no sense of community rather only the individual?!?! Do you really screw the authority or do you only screw yourself out of time?
I believe that people that are habitually late have no concern for others. There are so many ways not to conform, to be your own person without hurting others.
:)
If you are into teaching your child to "f**ck authority" then trust me--when he gets older he will say "f**ck off" to you. You might want to think twice about this because the molding years are now--by the time they are twelve or thirteen it is pretty difficult to change that sort of mentality--you already ingrained it in them--then you will be the ones paying the price for it --on top of his teachers and any other authority figure in his life
I'm with Chelle - I can see where you're coming from and I think it's important to encourage children to think outside the box, not to let standards hinder them, to blaze their own trail...but when you're talking about being late to something you signed him on for, it becomes an issue of respect. Honoring a commitment you make by being there at the agreed upon time shows respect - for yourself and the other people involved.
Right now, it may "only be Kindergarten," but sooner or later, it's going to start to count.
When I was in Kindergarten, while it may not have meant all that much in the grand scheme of things, at the time it was so important because it was this new experience that changed my life. It was a huge deal to me and I think it is to most kids. I wonder what FB would think of being late or missing a day?
I don't know. I'm kind of a stickler for the being on time thing. Being late may not be the end of the world, but it can be then end of a job or an opportunity. Not every routine or schedule is meant to tie you down and hold you back. Sometimes you just need them so people can be at the same place at the same time to meet a shared objective.
Why is it always the anonymous ones that have to say something bad?
Half of what I write here is exaggerated and kind of tongue in cheek. Although most of it is true in how I feel and how the husband feels that doesn't mean we act on it. You would know that if you read and comprehended the entire post.
We are not teaching our children to disrespect other people or their rules. You totally misunderstood the post. This post is more about an ongoing discussion/argument between the husband and I and not what we are teaching our children in "real life". Sure, we are still anti-rules. I guess I should have called it anti-structure or a more laid back approach to parenting where homeschooling would be the better choice for us but we are trying out public school for the time being. And our children aren't really learning that it's ok to be habitually late or miss school or anything like that. This post was just me rambling on about what my husband thinks. But you, anonymous, had to make it totally more than it was.
Chelle & Leslie,
I guess this post really didn't convey what our real parenting is all about. Obviously I didn't do a good job on writing this up. LOL.
FB is not late and won't be. Sure, there will be a time in everyone's life that they will be late and rather than getting all upset about and freaking out like so many people do, we will just act like it's no big deal because really it isn't. And like I said to anonymous we do not disrespect other people or the school or anything that our son is involved in. He is not taught to be disrespectful and he is not in any way. He is a good child and I'd like to think we are good parents for the most part. It's just that with our beliefs and parenting homeschooling probably would have been the better choice and not just for the "on time" factor. It is about so much more. I am sorry for not being more clear. But thanks for your comments. I do appreciate your opinions. :)
Love your blog Amanda...i read it religiously and get a good laugh. Anyway, I am with you regarding the subject of running late. I wonder how Hot Daddy would feel if his future students took the same attitude and arrive late for his classes. He may change his tune rather quickly! Keep up the great writing and best of luck with kinder.
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I think it is important to impress upon children that they should do their best at all times in whatever they decide to do. If once in a while that falls short of the expected they should pick themselves up and carry on. I am sure that is what you are trying to teach your children ie if they ARE late it is not the end of the world and not to let it ruin their day. You are not just disregarding the rules you are just not letting the rules take over! Nothing wrong with that! As far as the debate is concerned you are in the right - one should at least try to get to school on time and a morning routine that enables that is good for self discipline which paves the way for success!
I understood your post. :) I am anti-establishment (for lack of a better word) myself. And we homeschool. Not for that reason, although, I am enjoying the freedom it allows.
You can get FB to school on time every day, and still teach him to think outside of the box. You're cool like that. :)
Hi Mel,
Thank You! Thank You! Someone understands me! :)
Good on you PetiteMommy. The world has lost it's sense of humour. Everyone has to be politically correct and follow the 'right' rules that everyone knows are correct, even though somehow the rules seem to be leading us down a path where people aren't allowed to think for themselves or be reasonable when clearly a rule is being enforced dreadfully and mindlessly.
The world desperately needs people who can think for themselves and are willing to speak up.
We brought all three of our children up with respect for others as a given, but with virtually no rigid rules and no punishments. They climbed trees and played with fire and learned about the dangers of the world first hand.
I'm pleased to report that they have turned out as great, successful adults. Several rigid rule following parents we know told us that we would seriously regret our approach and that our children would end up in trouble with the police or drugs. There has been none of that with our children; but there has with the rule enforcers' kids!
Follow your heart with sincerity and your children will copy that. Don't let miserable people inflict their misery onto you.
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