I send George one or two links a week to articles that, in my humble opinion, offer sound parenting advice. In return, I receive links from him to things like the trailer from the 1974 Science Fiction movie, Zardoz, starring Sean Connery. So it seemed novel to me to get an email from him with the subject, “Important article on parenting”.
I clicked on the link and found an article from The Onion.
“Hmm, The Onion”, I thought, “Not exactly La Leche League or The American Academy of Pediatrics, but I’m game. It’s better than YouTube videos of laughing puppies or burping children."
I read on in horror....
The California Parenting Institute did a study and found that, regardless of parenting style employed, it’s a child’s fate to become a maladjusted adult.
Wow, that big claim could pretty much rock my world. I needed details. Like the informed parent that I pride myself on being, I looked for the study at the California Parenting Institutes’ website.
Evidently, I was not alone. The California Parents Institute was inundated with calls from nervous parents like me. These queries were much to the organization’s dismay; however, since the article was....
A HOAX.
“Oh, right, The Onion. Silly me,” I thought. “What a relief. I can go back to being puppet master of Claire’s destiny!”
But then I started thinking some more..
“Was George trying to tell me something? Maybe, he thinks I need to lighten up a bit. Perhaps, I should just let Claire be...He’s pretty good at that.”
So I haven’t sent him a link in awhile…a day or two, maybe. And for good measure, I checked out the link to Zardoz. You should too; it's pretty hilarious.
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Funny you mention reading parenting articles because I have basically tried to stop reading them. I find them too stressful. I much prefer the honesty of moms who write good blogs :).
ReplyDeleteI teach Psychology, and the finding that is both a relief, and a bit frustrating, is that ultimately parents do not have a huge impact on a child's personality or intelligence {morals, political views, etc. parents have a huge influence} but IQ and temperament are highly heritable. Sometimes that reassures me!
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ReplyDeleteI think it's great that your husband likes to look at the lighter side of things. I'm a constant worrier, and I appreciate anything that makes me laugh!
ReplyDeleteHAHAAH, that's something that I'd do without realizing it was The Onion. Of course, my husband doesn't send me anything like that, so I'm a wee bit jealous. Is that weird? Yes, it's weird. I guess it's that he just trusts me more than he trusts himself when it comes to parenting. Which is weird. Or, maybe, he just likes the fact that he realizes that kids and moms are different than kids and dads. And that usually, mom KNOWS. Love this!
ReplyDeleteExcept now I wonder how much my efforts matter...I hope they matter. Crap. Tell me they matter?
Oh my gosh on Zardoz, hahahaha. He almost looks like Burt Reynolds in the pictures!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I vary quite a bit on how we parent too. I like to tell myself those huge differences result in very well-rounded children. ;)
I love your husband's style-gentle teasing with an important point to make instead of lecturing like I'd do probably! Think maladjustment is a given alright, largely because most of us can't leave them alone! So hard when they are our everything.
ReplyDeleteI like you husband's sense of humor. And I can't stop laughing every time I look at the picture!
ReplyDeleteOh wow .. that definitely sounds like something Brian would do to me too.. bastards.
ReplyDeleteWe will always be the master of the girls' universe {well, for as long as we can tell ourselves that's the case anyway!}
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(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
http://raising-reagan.com
that cracks me up, my hubby is the kind who would send me stuff from The Onion too.
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Hilarious! I too have been guilty of misinterpreting an Onion article. And clearly, I am also guilty of needing to lighten up. SO not my strong suit...
ReplyDeleteLOL, Rachel. I don't remember reading this last time around. I do, however, remember the Onion article. I think my husband sent it to me, too.... ;-)
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