Parenting Methods

It's so funny to me sometimes to listen to other parents talk about their parenting methods. It's a hot topic these days! I don't really have one though. I mean, I do. But I don't really. I'm more of a go-with-the-flow, adapt to the moment kind of Mom. I rarely use the same "method" from one week to another. Sometimes that means rules and discipline, sometimes that means tossing the rules out the window. And sometimes, like today, it means adopting what I call the "keep your mouth shut and carry on" style I'm sure you won't find in any parenting book. But it works! 

I really wanted to visit the blueberry field after work today. Really, seriously, NEEDED to be in that blueberry field. So of course when I showed up at daycare I found two hot, exhausted and very hungry children. The teacher told me they had gotten a bit off schedule and hadn't had their afternoon snack yet, so they might be hungry. 

Two grumpy faces, two sets of crossed arms. 

Kids: "No! We are *not* hungry."

Me: Okay. 

Load them into the car and tell them we're going berry picking. 

Rebecca: "I hate blueberries."

Caiden: "I hate blueberry PICKING."

Rebecca: "I'm not going. And if you make me, I'm just going to sit in the car and roast. The Whole Time."

Caiden: "I'm not eating any, that's for sure!"

Me: Okay.

Drive to the nearest fast food restaurant on the way to the berry field and pull into line. 

Rebecca: "I'm not hungry."

Caiden: "Me either. I'm not eating anything."

Rebecca: "I hate burgers. I'm NOT eating it."

Caiden: "I'm not eating any burger and I'm not eating any berries!"

Me: Okay. 

Order the burgers and pass them back. 

Rebecca: "Gross! It has seeds on the bun! I'm not eating this!"

Caiden: "I don't like this kind of burger. The meat is too cooked."

Rebecca: "I said not to get me any burgers."

Caiden: "Yeah. Me too. I'm not hungry."

Me: Okay.

15 minutes of silence from the backseat while we drive on to the berry field. 

Rebecca: "Hey Caiden, where'd your burger go?"

Caiden: "It's all gone in my tummy! Where's yours?"

Rebecca: "Hey, I think I ate it ALL!"

Caiden: "You know what's tasty after a full tummy dinner?"

Rebecca: "BLUEBERRIES!"

Silence. 

Rebecca: "Hey! We're going to the berry field Right Now!"

Caiden: "Hooray!!!!"

Rebecca: "What a good idea, Mom!"

Caiden: "How did you know we wanted to go blueberry picking, Mom?"

Both kids: "We want to go picking now!"

Me: Okay. 

Get to the berry field and pile out of the car. 

Rebecca: "Mommy, can I say something before we start picking? I'm really sorry I was being rude."

Caiden: "Yeah, me too. I'm sorry I used bad manners."

Both kids: "We'll try to remember next time we're hungry, okay?"

Me: Okay!

Hugs all around.

And we proceeded to have a delightful half hour of romping the berry fields. I didn't get any pictures because I was much too busy being pursued by a fierce Iguanodon, rescuing a beautiful Pegasus from the tastiest bushes any number of times, and picking 10 pounds of insanely delicious berries with my happy, loving children. 

There wasn't really any parenting going on there if you ask the books. There certainly wasn't any "method". But damn did it work. And that's really all I need to know at the end of the day.