The Parade (or Lessons in Parenting 101)

It's amazing to watch parents at work because sometimes as parents we do and say some of the silliest things. If we would ever record what we have said or done, I think we would be surprised at our actions and what comes out of our mouths. Let me share a story of what I observed over a couple of years ...

A couple of years ago Jeff and I attended the grandiose Millard Days parade for a couple of years in a row (not quite Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but a close second :) . Now at this particular parade, it was important to arrive early if you wanted a curbside seat to watch the people in the parade. We wanted to see our boys in the marching band. I'm sure they were excited to see their parents jumping up and down and waving at them as they played their instruments (we really didn't do that ... much!). The first year, I brought a book to keep me entertained as I waited for the parade to begin, but I soon discovered I really didn't need a book to keep me busy!

There was another family near us who we saw each year - a grandma, a grandpa, a mom and two children who were at first around ages 3 and 5. They all got settled in on their blankets and cute little chairs, but had at least 45 minutes before the parade would start. As I watched, the two children had nothing to do - mom hadn't brought them anything and seemed genuinely surprised when the two children began to wrestle around. She tried the normal, "stop pushing your sister" - "stop hitting your brother." But then she brought out the big guns: "If you don't stop right now, we are leaving", she said. The children looked at her and stopped for a few minutes and then began picking on each other again. "I really mean it, if you don't stop, we are leaving". The children looked at her knowing just as I did - that she really had no intention of leaving, but as parents (me too) we often use that as a scare tactic. So they started in again and mom continued to offer no alternatives for the children. I can't even fully remember how many times she threatened to leave.

Finally she came up with a better idea. Let's walk over to the store and get some candy and snacks. So that's exactly what they did - (you know put something in their mouths that might help). They brought their bags and sat down for a short while and then they started whining again, "I'm bored"!, etc. This time, there were vendors coming down the street selling toys and balloons. Grandpa decided this would be the time he would intervene and buy them a toy and a balloon. We all can guess what happened to each of their balloons before they even got back to their seats, but they still had their toys. Then...the parade began!

I was glad I had brought my book just in case, but I didn't really need it...it was entertaining enough just to watch the family in front of me. I wanted to step in and say let's play a game, let's do something together... , but didn't.

The very next year, we were back in the same spot, and guess who our neighbors were? They were all there once again and the children were another year older, but unfortunately, they were not another wiser. The same scenario unfolded with the pushing, hitting, candy, toys and balloons sailing away into the Omaha sky. It was like acting out the Bill Murray movie, Ground Hog Day, but without Bill Murray to entertain us.

Have you ever watched parents do the silliest things - I know I have done some pretty silly things myself as a parent. For this time, I want you to share some humorous stories that you have seen other parents do. Don't worry we'll have time to share our own humorous stories later and believe me I have lots of them. Over Easter break, my twenty year old son was reminding me of my own silly parenting moments. Perhaps I'll be brave enough to share them later.

ASSIGNMENT: What is some of the silliest things you've either done or saw other parents do in terms interacting with their children or giving them ultimatums everyone knows they won't follow through on?