My kids tell me on an almost daily basis about all the different choices and different parenting techniques they will employ when the time comes for them to be parents. I’d like to say this is a recent development of the later teen years, but if I remember correctly, my kids have been letting me know all the ways they are going to do things differently since they were pretty young.
When they were wee ones, it was usually things like eating candy for breakfast, letting their own “someday” children stay up as late as they wanted and watch whatever television programs they had a hankering for that topped the list of “the kind of parent I’m going to be” for my kids. Now that they are older teens, their promises for parenting choices are a little more thought out–but just as reactionary to how I do things as they ever were.
To hear my kids talk about all the wrongs they are going to “right” when they actually become parents (and I’m definitely hoping it’s far, far off in the future), you’d think that I’ve been the most bumbling, inept and horrendously terrible parent that ever walked the face of the earth. Of course, they are going to make more money, buy “better” food, take their kids on really “dank” (translated: cool, excellent and wonderful) vacations, give a big allowance, etc. A friend of mine suggested that I actually keep a list so I can remind them when the time comes and they actually ARE parents so we can compare their aspirations to the reality–but, I’m too busy trying to ignore their taunts and criticisms to take the time to write all these things down.
I’m well aware that the days for my parenting efforts being appreciated are still a long-way off, and I have to admit that I’ve definitely done some of the things I swore I would never do when I was giving my own parents an earful as an opinionated teenager–but, we’ll just see what they do and don’t do when their turn comes…
See Also: Making the Bed When You’re Going to Get Back in It and How Can You Take on the World When You Can’t Hang Up a Wet Towel?