Spontaneous Parenting

A personal joke... Sometimes it feels that way, that I'm parenting on the fly, but really, it's not like the kids come with instruction manuals. And even if they did they're probably printed in some other language.

Part of the reason I get criticized for my parenting is because I am a strong advocated for independence. It is important to me for my children to know how to take care of themselves. It appears, to some however, that I am just ignoring them. I suppose that might be how it looks but truthfully I am aware of them I just might not be reacting the way some feel I should. 

Good thing they are my kids and not theirs. 

I do believe that my lack of interaction sometimes creates more of a headache than it should, for example when my kids make their own snacks or we have a YOYO for dinner night; the kitchen 90% of the time ends up in disaster. Then I get mad.

So tell me why I create the monsters then get mad when they behave like monsters? Obviously, I like to be angry, right? No. I want them to be accountable and responsible. I then have to be sure they understand the importance of picking up after themselves.

Yeah. Right.

Anyone else have teenagers that clean their own dishes or load a dishwasher correctly? If you do then Kudos to you because mine don't. Well, occasionally they do, but for the most part they look at me as if they've never seen dish soap or a scrubbie. 

And don't even get me started on the bathrooms. Ugh.