W0w; it’s Tuesday morning – not even 8am and I’m batting a thousand.  I’m not making friends today and I think I should just go back to bed.  Is that an option?

My daughter feels that her vacation is everyone’s vacation and that she should get to bounce out of bed and have Starbucks for breakfast.  And my favorite…she asks while her friend is standing right next to her, waiting for me to say YES….. and then argues with me as I tell her to GO AWAY!!!!

I don’t remember asking my parents anything with my friend standing next to me.  I didn’t want to be embarrassed if they said no to me.  I also don’t remember going ANYWHERE near my friends’ parents bedrooms.

It’s so funny how often I reflect back to my own childhood while raising my own children.  Mostly because I remember listening to my parents say, “When I was a kid” and thinking “Gag me with a spoon – I’ll NEVER do that to my kids!!!”   And guess what folks…here I am!!!  Constantly reflecting back to how I was raised and how I was NEVER home and how parents didn’t really have relationships with kids like they do nowadays.  Some people feel the need to be their kids friend and REFUSE to let them have a moment of unhappiness.

Parents are meant to be parents.   Not friends.  If you raise your kids at a friends level, then what will happen when you have to one day put your foot down??  How do you think your child will respond???

I’m very unpopular in my house at times.  The other day when one was pitching a fit, I threatened to throw them in bed with no dinner.  Chris informed me that she had a very light lunch -if any- and I told him that she has 7 days before she will actually starve.  Needless to say, I wasn’t popular with him either.

I’m not here for a popularity contest.  If someone wants to live here, they need to pitch in when asked (which trust me, isn’t often).

So this morning, while I am making breakfast, I will stare at my daughter with her friend and I will accept the stink eye that is thrown my way.  Just because she has a friend over doesn’t mean I am required to go out and get her Starbucks.  Especially when she is expecting ME to pay for it. If she had her own money, I would consider…. but as my mom said when I was growing up….  My name’s Hank…NOT Bank!

Happy Tuesday