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View Full Version : Isn't it great when kids remember the GOOD stuff?



catherine
7-11-12, 1:13pm
I have made countless mistakes as a parent. My worst parental flaw is, I'm not organized and I skim over mealtime, and when I think back, that is what I most regret about my parenting--the kind of haphazard life we had.

So, I was surprised when DD27 was talking about a presentation she's making for her social impact design course, where they have to come up with design solutions to problems they see, and one of her ideas was a kit where people would be encouraged to a) eat quality food by b) having a quality dinnertime experience.

Part of her pitch to her class will be "Not everyone has had the kind of fun dinnertime experience we had in my family, where sometimes we'd have upside down day and things like that, and so this kit will help people have those experiences."

It's true that when I was doing family day care for a few years I had to be really well-organized, and DH is a really creative guy and great cook, so we had a menu board up for the week, and one day a week we had "upside-down day" where we'd have hamburgers for breakfast and eggs for dinner or something like that.

But I was astounded that my DD had any positive perception of our dinnertimes, because there have been tons more times when we took the easy way out and did fast food, ate in front of the TV, etc.

Just made me feel good as a parent. I guess sometimes it's the little things that kids remember--for good and for bad.

Mrs-M
7-11-12, 1:22pm
It sure is! Love your post, Catherine!

The kids and I, often engross ourselves in sessions of, "do you remember", and what fun that is. We share all sorts of make me feel good stories, and every so often I'm pleasantly surprised over what great recollection they have, particularly because some things they remember they were so young.

iris lily
7-11-12, 9:04pm
Moms are hardwired to feel guilty, it's too bad.

My mother and I remember an event in my life very differently. I had asthma as a kid and in those days the only treatment was hospitalization. So one time when I was having an asthma attack my parents, in high worry mode, drove me to the hospital about 30 minutes away. My mother was hovering over me and was kinda bugging me. 40 years after that incident she wailed "I feel so bad about leaving you in the hospital all alone, without us, the hospital was so strict then! I should have insisted on staying, I'm such a bad mother!" but me, I just remember the cool quiet oxygen tank, a parentless zone of low stress. I was perfectly content in it.

Your children will hate you for things you have no recollection of, and they will love you for the same. Such is life.

Tiffany
7-11-12, 11:29pm
Your children will hate you for things you have no recollection of, and they will love you for the same. Such is life.

And on a semi-related note, my mom has a guilty memory of some punishment she dealt out to me over piano practice (of all things). She has apologized for it and I said, "OK, but I don't remember what you are talking about at all!" haha.