Today I dropped my eldest three princesses at school.  It was raining, chilly and pretty darn miserable outside.  In the sea of umbrellas and hoods, the girls stuck out with their uncovered heads.  I admit I did cringe as I watched them walk away. Not because they were getting wet, but because I’m sure all of the teachers were thinking what a bad mother I was for letting my kids get wet.

Maybe it’s just my personality or that my kids are especially stubborn, but I cannot teach them responsibility.  They have to learn it themselves.   I could have handed them umbrellas and coats this morning or let them use mine to get into school dry.  If  I had done this however, come Monday morning they would be waiting for me to do the same. Today they will get wet, and hopefully remember from now on not to leave their umbrellas and jackets at school in their lockers.

I’m not as heartless as I sound. At breakfast this morning I mentioned the weather and the chill and told them all to dress appropriately.  I even gave some hints as they were dressing this morning. I don’t want my kids to be cold, but I also know that when they go off to college that their dorm leader won’t be chasing after them with their coats and umbrellas and water bottles.

Both Hubby and I have worked with and known individuals who need taken care of.  Adults who never learned responsibility and are floundering through life blaming everyone else for their troubles.  I want my kids to be able to take care of themselves.  They are learning how to do the laundry, dishes, vacuum and clean bathrooms.  They are learning that a house doesn’t run by itself and that a family works together to function at full speed.

There seems to be a lack of personal accountability with this generation that concerns me.  I hear teachers telling stories of helicopter parents who are calling to get their kids grades changed, who don’t care what their child is learning as long as they get the “A” needed for college. I’ve read an article about a college professor who has parents calling him about their child’s grades…these are adults here who are being treating like elementary school kids.

One day Mita left her backpack at her grandma’s house. Instead of getting on yellow in her class as the rules state, the teacher let her off and consoled her.  This taught Mita only that rules don’t really matter and that the teacher won’t do what she says she will do.  Did I want Mita to get on yellow and get yelled at? No, I wanted her to get on yellow and learn that she needs to remember her backpack, and have her teacher tell her, “Hey, you forgot your backpack, your on yellow, but I know you’ll remember it tomorrow.”

So if you see my kids running around in outfits that don’t match or charging their lunch because they forgot to bring their lunchbox, please don’t think I’m a unfit mom. I’m a mom watching my kids make little mistakes in hopes that they won’t make big mistakes when they really count.

*Disclaimer*  I would never let my kids freeze and do stop them from harming themselves and others!

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