Common Sense. SERIOUSLY.

Someone should invent this.

Really.

What if there was a pill or a cream... or even an injection that someone could take, where when administered, the parent immediately had common sense?!?!?! IMAGINE THAT!!!!

One of the things I like about Old School is that it just makes sense. There's no hidden agendas, no super complicated formulas... Just pure ol' common sense. Nothing added to it, nothing watering it down, nothing fluffing it up.

I'm a pretty simple girl. I don't have a giant doctrinal degree behind my name. Sometimes I'm doing the best I can to find my shoes. (For real). And I CERTAINLY don't have this whole parenting thing figured out. But it seems to me that it's alot simpler than we've made it. (I've said this before, I know. But it's my blog, you know... heehee).

In honor of common sense, I've made one of my famous (or not-so-famous) lists containing some things that would make Captain Obvious a proud man.


THE LIST OF COMMON SENSE IN PARENTING:
Supervise your children. Being at the park with them while chatting on the phone as your child plays does not count as supervision. While you're enjoying your girl time on the park bench, your kids might be jumping off the top of a light pole or lighting something on fire. "Supervise them" means be able to see them and focus on what they are doing.

Have set bedtimes! No one likes a grump. This applies to grumpy children who are sleep deprived.

Lock the bathroom door when you go pee. It may be the only alone time you get. Take advantage of it.

Say I'm sorry to your children. You mess up. They shouldn't be the only one who have to apologize.

Smile at them.

Bend down to them when you're talking to them. They get tired of looking up your nostrils.

BE the change you want to see in your family.

Don't buy underwear for your girls that look like something that belongs in the Playboy mansion.

Make seat belts, church, honesty, and manners non-negiotiables.

Actually go to their school events.

*GASP* Volunteer at their school. This is the place your child spends most of their waking hours during the day. Be there as much as you can.

If your parents are somewhat sane and relatively local, send your kids to them once a week.

If it is hurting, pray for it and nuture it.

If it is just giving drama, look the other way.

Make them clean their own messes up as young as possible.

As much as is possible, cook something every day. Grilled cheese qualifies as cooking.

Make your children sit with you in church until they have proven they are mature enough to sit with their friends without being a pain in the rear to everyone around them.

If someone else's kid is being rude and unsupervised in church, CORRECT THEM! Do NOT be afraid of a child. Ever.

Clean out toyboxes and closets at holiday time. It will force your child to be generous and make your life less cluttered.

NEVER, EVER, EVER let your child use the Internet without supervision. EVER!!!

Assume movie ratings are always wrong. PG13 does not mean 13 year olds should watch it, and R certainly doesn't mean 17 year olds should.

You're the parent. Be the parent.

Dress like a mature, law-abiding, responsible grown-up parent.

If you ever have a bad feeling about your child participating in something, listen to your heart and obey that nudge. That's called God talking to you.

Say no whenever you want.

Frown on the BEHAVIOR, not the CHILD.

Love at all costs. But don't sacrifice your values for "loving" your child. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.



And, *DOUBLE GASP*.... read the Bible. It was around before Dobson and Spock, and will be around long after this blog is gone.

Such a comfort. Such an anchor. And the ultimate Old School.