Every time I think that I wouldn't be "that MOM!" I have to stop and think... I've said that before. And something has always come up where I've had to make an exception to that rule. You're at the store and shopping and it's late. Later than you think kids should be awake. And you think I'd never let my child stay up till 10pm! Until you've been there... and your child has been sick for the last week and suddenly his sleep schedule is so far off he doesn't even know there's a sun... so he's up at 10pm. Not because you're a bad parent. But because you're trying to get his sleep cycle back to normal... But in that one snapshot at the store all anyone can see is a child up riding on the cart begging you to buy them fruitsnacks! And they judge "How dare they keep that child awake! That child should be home in BED!"
I've done it... I did it a whole lot more before I had kids. I made declarative statements to my parents when I was in my teens... "when I'm a parent I'm gonna let my kids stay have a 3am curfew! Just you wait and see!" My parents just shook their heads and nodded sagely. OK we'll see and we'll be so sorry that we didn't let you run around and get into trouble!" I'm sure they went to bed giggling to themselves more than once... Want to know how I know. I do it now with my two boys. Ian tells me when he's grown up he'll get to do whatever he wants! Those are the nights I go to bed giggling to myself because I know that when he actually gets to that stage of his life... he'll see why I've made the decisions I have and he'll send his little kids to bed at a decent hour.... whenever possible!
