There are so, so many things I've been dying to write about the past month, but the crushing weight of homework pulls me back. While I slog through my final two weeks of the quarter, I thought I would at least make a small attempt to reconnect with the blogosphere.
As I've mentioned before, ever since I thought about having kids, I've been slowly compiling my Parenting List - things I want to teach my children before they move out of the house. Some of the things on the list are practical. For example:
1. Teach them how to cook
2. Teach them how to clean well (the boys are at distinct disadvantage since the Y chromosome seems to render men incapable of seeing dirt, and their low vision literally makes it hard for them to see dirt. However, I am determined to make this one happen one way or another!)
3. Teach them how to keep on a budget (as soon as I figure it out)
4. Teach them how to write gracious thank you notes.
Some things on the list are more complex and abstract:
1. Instill a strong sense of empathy
2. Help them develop a safe and just sexual ethic
3. Teach them media literacy
Some things are based on my bitchy pet peeves, hence my latest additions:
1. Never, ever visit someone with a newborn baby unless you plan on either a) bringing them food or b) performing chores/errands, etc.
2. Digital cameras have delete buttons and they are wonderful things. You don't have to upload your entire camera, including bad/blurry/repetitive pictures, onto your Facebook, blog, flickr (whatever media exists by the time my kids are old enough to upload pictures).
3. For my future daughter - Nobody looks good in Uggs and sweatpants. Nobody.
So if you have kids or plan on having kids, what kinds of things are on your list? I need an excuse to take five million breaks from my textbooks - so please share!
First, I LOVE your list!!
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% on all of your items.
For my daughter, I want to teach her:
1. How to be a critical thinker.
2. What it means to be a responsible member of society.
3. How to find balance between work and play.
4. Why having a spiritual community is important.
5. That it's okay to be alone with your own thoughts, in fact it's good for you.
6. How to tell genuine people from deceitful ones.
7. How to be a proud, beautiful and sexual woman and still be safe!
8. How to be a good friend.
9. To respect her elders.
10. The joy of reading a good book!
Lofty, but good, goals! :)
I totally admire these lists. Since I don't have enough time to comment on my own list, I'll just say that I hope to teach Jane this: Nobody looks good in Uggs and sweatpants, but sometimes it's okay not to look good and to just be cozy! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope to teach my daughter (or son too I guess) that your body is not something that needs to be "fixed" and that aging is not something we need to "wage war upon", despite what commercials and "Woman's magazines" try to tell us.
ReplyDeleteI always told Sascha that if we raise children who are kind, capable and compassionate then we have done right by them (and society). However this happens, this is the goal.
ReplyDelete