What happens if mom and dad have different parenting styles…

Different parenting styles are practically inevitable. I’ve seen it so often with friends that I’m starting to think it’s actually a good thing. It’s a way to create balanced little people.

Rob and I have different parenting styles. Well we have different everything styles really

When it comes to Aidan he is both good cop and bad cop. The two play together. Wrestle, argue, chase each other, goof around so much you’d swear they were the best of friends despite the age difference.

But Rob does not take sh#t from Aidy. It’s very much these are the rules. You stick to these rules and we are happy and jovial and there is so much love and laughter you’d swear they are auditioning for a sitcom. But you break the rules and there are consequences… there are naughty chairs,there are disappointed looks, loads of  “talkings to” and two grumpy grumps convinced that the other one is “just the worst” – they are so alike as people that this doesn’t surprise me.

They are both such nurturers and both live for others so much that I could not be more proud but joh! can they be defensive and emotionally driven. The emotions that make them great to other people sometimes makes them rather hard on themselves. Neither of them can cut themselves (and sometimes each other) some slack

Meanwhile my parenting style much like my hair style, dress style, overall conversational style… Is all over the place.

My own four year old basically told me I need to set boundaries. Well he actually said that it’s not fair that I get cross about things that he does wrong, without telling him beforehand that I don’t want him to do it. He is not wrong.

I’m very big on needing him to be a good person. I’m much more interested in his soul. His fundamentals, his emotional intelligence and him not being a jerk, than I am with him eating properly and  sleeping at the right time… Not mom of the year material I know.

This is where Rob picks up the ball I drop and I calm down their raging emotions… I believe that when it comes to co-parenting the co needs to stand for COmpromise allow your partner a voice and together decide on what works best for you and your family. Also try to not get too caught up in, who is right and who is “parenting the best” it’s not a competition and even if it was a race it’s more a relay than anything else.

No1 really knows what they are doing but it us such a blessing to muddle through with someone on your team for those US against the kids moments…