Pay attention or Parenting Advice. . .

So, last Thursday evening, as James and I were climbing into bed, we heard Samuel's quizzical voice, "How's Tori going to get the car out of the driveway?" You see, the forecast was for several inches of wintry mix, and that meant the snow plows and salt trucks would be coming down our road, so James pulled his car into the driveway behind mine. Tori was heading out to take a friend to pick up her paycheck.

Soon we heard Samuel, a little indignantly, call out, "What does she think she's doing?" Then, "NO, TORI! STOP!!!"

It seems Tori was so excited about having a cell phone again, that she hadn't noticed the other car behind the one she usually drives, in spite of facing both of them as she walked down to the driveway. And she didn't hang up from her call until she saw me standing in the doorway in my pajamas. Major oops, kiddo!

Talking to my mother, she says she's out of child-rearing theories.
From her experienced perspective, the first objective is to get them to adulthood alive. (Tori's 18, does that count?)
The second is to get to that point alive yourself. (I'm writing, so I must have accomplished this as well.)
And then, well, just hope for the best. (Lots of hoping going on!)
Okay, she did use Haim Ginott's theory of natural consequences as much as possible. (Second accident, and breaking the no-cell-phone-while-driving rule, means no more using our car.) And she talked to us along the way about what she was learning/thinking about. There were some rough times through the years, but my brothers and sister, and the folks they chosen as life partners, are some of the finest people I know. I trust and admire them, as active and contributing citizens of a wonderful world. And I really enjoy being with them! I'd call that successful parenting. So maybe tomorrow, I'll explore more of what I consider success in parenting, and in life.

Aloha!