Meanest Mother in the World

Meanest Mother in the World

This is something my mom gave me years ago.....

I had the meanest mother in the world. While other kids had candy for breakfast, I had to eat cereal, eggs and toast. While other kids had soda and candy for Lunch, I had a sandwich. As You can guess, my dinner was different from other kids too.
My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang or something. She had to know who our friends were, where we were going, and she even told us when to come home.
I am ashamed to admit it, but she actually had the nerve to break the child labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make the beds and learn how to cook! That woman must have stayed awake nights thinking up things for us kids to do. 
She always insisted that we tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
By the time we were teenagers our lives became even more u bearable. No beeping the car horn for the girls in the family to come running. She embarrassed us by insisting the boys come to the door to get us. I forgot to mention that most of our friends were allowed to date at the mature age of 13. Our old fashioned mother refused to let us date until we were 16.
She really raised a bunch of squares. None of us kids were ever arrested for shop lifting, or busted for dope. And who do we have to thank for all this?
You're right, our mean mother!
I am trying to raise my children to stand a little straighter and taller and I'm secretly tickled to pieces when my children call me mean. I thank God for giving me the meanest mother in the world. Our country needs more mean mothers like mine.

This has stuck with me all these years. I am a mean mother. I am told this often, and you know what? I'm ok with it.  I basically do all the same things. As it is my 14 yr old daughter is so upset I wont let her date. My young ones don't understand why they cant just play outside if I'm not out. Im already teaching the twins how to act in public and limiting tantrums. They get time outs already! Today, parenting has taken on a whole new trend. So many parents are caught up in giving their kids everything they never had. That would be ok if we were talking about love, support, stability, rules, respecting your elders and doing good in school. Unfortunately I am talking about designer clothes, cell phones, the latest game, dating younger, playing horrible games, watching anything and everything, on TV, and not being held responsible for their actions. So many parents are making the mistake thinking they are their children's friend. Your children do not need a friend, they need a parent! Someone to teach them how to behave, respecting your elders, saying please and thank you, and the biggest, being responsible for your actions!!
Some of you might be thinking, that's easy for you to say, you must have compliant children. Um no. I have 1 rebellious teen who moved out, one special needs boy, the strong willed drama queen, the 8 yr old stuck in the middle, 2 yr old twins andddd 1 compliant child!! 
The three things I'm focusing on lately is with my son I tell him he's a boy not a wild animal, my 8yr old, you're a young lady act like one and for drama queen to stop and think before she comments and gets everyone all upset.
Parenting is so hard. There is no one way, right way magic formula. As moms we do what works best for our families, and that's all we can do!