HOUSEWIFE 101

Thank you for attending The Penny Pinching Diva’s International Community College of Knowledge. Today’s lesson is continuing from: HOUSEWIFE 101.

LESSON 09:

Honesty is the best policy, most of the time.
I have always tried to raise my children by example. If I want my children to have a certain quality, then I try to mimic that quality in myself. For example, I believe in cleaning up after oneself, especially in the bathroom. In order for me to follow my “practice what you preach” philosophy on parenting, I always make sure that the bathroom is clean when I am done in it. No ring around the bathtub, no toothpaste in the sink and the toilet is always flushed. In return, when my boys don’t do it they can’t ever say that I didn’t do it either.

So what happens when you can’t always follow your own rules? This was pointed out to me on various occassions by my five year old this week. The occassion that sticks out most in my mind? A little white lie I told to my mother to get out of running an extra errand. I normally don’t mind doing things for my mother, but being 38 weeks pregnant, I was having a lazy day. The boys and I had just walked through the front door when my cell phone rang. It was my mother calling to ask if I could take her somewhere.

I had just gotten home from running my own errands with three very energetic boys, who were now hungry. I have a very hard time telling her no, so instead I told her that my fiance had the car and I didn’t know what time he would be back home. After I got off of the phone my son tole me, matter of factly by the way, that that wasn’t the truth. I told him I knew that, but I didn’t want to hurt grandma’s feelings. He then proceeded to tell me that he had just gotten in trouble earlier that week for telling a lie to me. I told him I know, but this is different. Of course he asked me how.

Now I was racking my brain trying to come up with an excuse that would justify my lie. I couldn’t come up with anything, so I gave him the lame reply of “It just is.” He kind of cocked his head to the side and said “Ma, you know what you have to do? You have to call grannymama and tell her the truth, and then write ten time I will not tell a lie.” I stood there in silence as I watched him go to the school supply cabinet and get a piece of paper and pencil, and hand it to me.

I couldn’t believe that I was just parented by my own child. Oh my, how the tables have turned.

SUMMARY OF TODAYS LESSON:
01. Practice what you preach when your children are in hearing range.

That is all for todays lesson. Until we meet again.
~Shynea