Stupid Things Stupid People Do

I just read Dr. Laura's book Stupid Things Parents Do To Mess Up Their Kids Lives.

It was an interesting read, albeit you could tell it was really just a book length rant. Oh, and rant she does! It's Dr. Laura's signature style, although I far prefer her other books which are less angry.

She essentially takes 250 pagrs to say the following things, which you can infer from the table of contents itself.

1) Don't have kids if all you want to do is have other people (read: day care workers, after school programs, etc.) raise them. Kids need parents who care about their lives and are engaged and paying attention to them.

2) Moms who choose to have babies without the husband part are selfish.

3) Don't even dare think about not disciplining. Instead of a self-confident kid, you'll end up with a nightmare that you've unleashed on society.

4) Don't give your kids what they want. Even teenagers are rarely mature enough to make the best decisions for themselves. Which is why God gave children parents to raise them.

So, spare yourself a depressing read, and remember that your kids need you to care about them.

Pretty straightforward.

And now? I'm reading How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will, Too. I'm only 30 pages into it, but I've already learned a ton of strategies for teaching a toddler how to listen and respond when appropriate. Book review forthcoming, once I've finished it, of course.