c’mon, people — they are just children — have you forgotten? have to bring up your dad with a gun? please. a bunch of lovely children. c’mon.

I’m with you on this one, albertpale. I’ve dealt with boys and girls at this stage (no kids of my own, biologically, but a couple I took in whenever their mother abdicated, a couple of stepchildren). Both genders have different ways of acting out as they go through the gauntlet that is puberty, but none of these behaviors are reflections of their true character (excepting those examples that do actual harm to themselves or others).

Come on! Even if you don’t have kids of your own, try to remember learning to handle the onslaught of chemicals coursing through your brain that comes with adolescence. It’s much like having someone sneak drugs into your drink; suddenly your body and mind are doing things in your name, unbidden, and you alternately struggle to control it and go overboard in embracing it all. If this is the worst your own kids ever go through, then you are blessed. There’s no reason to belittle kids for acting a bit silly under the influence of endocrine fluctuations, particularly since it’s a necessary stage of growth. Girls tend to become emotionally involved with androgynous pop stars, boys tend to become psychotically angry at video games and create life sized homages to the Master Chief to hang on their walls. So what?

Please don’t ridicule your kids as they go through natural stages. I’m begging you. I’m sure most parents learn this in time, but the ones that don’t do so much harm to egos at their most fragile.

If my kids had acted that way at that age over meaningless crap like that, I would have slit my wrists. No wonder the high school kids I see all the time are so out-of-control. My God, what have parents become?

philwynk on November 21, 2008 at 9:57 PM

I would bet most any money that those girls are great students, probably at the top of the class. They know how to have fun, the moms are there to support them, and to tease them. You can see they are confident, squirrely 13 year olds. They are acting just like they should…and when they are 30, mom hauls out the video and they all roar with laughter.
That video, to me, showed me what a family is all about…it brought back some great memories of my kids.

right2bright-I suspect you are a beloved parent. I’ve noticed a lot of your comments that show a great pride in parenting; in this day and age of the all about me parents it’s very heart warming indeed.

mauioriginal on November 21, 2008 at 3:52 PM

Thanks, but I just followed the lead of my wife, a great mother…we were always lockstep (maybe not behind closed doors, but in front of the kids we were a wall).
My kids had two goals in life that I gave them…honor each other, and they do.
The other was “When you grow up, I want your neighbors to say they are glad you live next door.”
Everything else falls into place, be a good neighbor and honor your family.
They’ve been model prisoners, so I suspect they will get out early on good behavior.

I guess the MSM must have actually reported that Archuleta’s songs would bankrupt the coal industry.

You’re at your kids school open house and the teacher lays it on about how helpful, cheery and contented your kid is in class. He pays attention and participates. And that he is so respectful of others and you and your spouse look at each other then turn back to the teacher and say, “Are you sure you’re talking about MY kid?”

pugwriter on November 21, 2008 at 4:35 PM

It’s because there are personal issues at home that they don’t have to face anywhere else, and are not comfortable bringing up anywhere else. The way your kids behave with others now is the way they’ll behave generally when they’re grown. The teacher’s report is telling you that you’re doing a good job.

Well done.

Raising children is not a black art. It takes work, but it’s actually relatively simple, and works by applying just a few basic rules: Live decent lives yourself, set clear rules, provide consistent consequences for violating the rules and never fail to apply them, read to them daily, spend lots of time with them, show them what’s worthwhile in life, never badmouth them or yell at them. Oh, and pray for them regularly. Do that, and your kids will not look anything like the out-of-control, narcissistic brats I just watched in that video.

Good God.

You say that, but girls are great…………………………….. I know the last moment of my life, I will be thought of me “dancing” with my daughter.

right2bright on November 21, 2008 at 2:23 PM

Very touching posting, R2B. Kudos to you.

More seriously, future mothers of America.

Schadenfreude on November 21, 2008 at 3:34 PM

As long as they marry conservative husbands, they might have a chance to get with reality. Where are their mothers?

…no…she plans to grow up, keep her wits about her…go to Yale Law…marry some rube from an easily manipulated state…get him elected on up the food chain…and one day rule the world….

…her White House codeword, 2034? “Archuleta”….

…three boys…all pretty standard…two all grown up now…and then her….

…with this as evidence, in about 7 or 8 years…it’s gonna really suck to be me….

pugwriter on November 21, 2008 at 4:35 PM

Wait till it’s other parents asking how you get your kids to behave so well and if you’d be interested in a switch. Buddy, they don’t seem that sweet and polite at home with me. And when we switch they wont be sweet angels for you either. Meanwhile, it’s nice to be able to tell someone else that their child is polite and wonderful when in your home too.
Never too great to have to stand there with your lips pulled tight because you don’t want to tell them what a monster their kid was and that they shouldn’t wait by the phone for another invite for a playdate anytime soon. I’m soooo glad that my kids know when and where to behave. NEVER have any of my three acted up in public. I suppose that’s because unlike the moms that need Super Nanny’s help, I don’t just sit there in a supermarket or restaurant looking helpless while a 6yo is in meltdown mode…swift swat on the fanny and you can kiss goodbye whatever it was you were so desperate to have. My kids wear the WWMD braclets…What Would Mom Do. Mom is the BOSS. Know it, Like it, suck it up, deal with it. It ain’t gonna change in this life time. I brought your little butt into this world and I’ll quickly take it out if need be. (Didn’t I say before I was only 5’2″-I had kids with a guy 6’4″~I learned early I had to assert myself or I was in trouble. My girls tower over me.)

CurtZHP on November 21, 2008 at 2:27 PM

As a mom of two daughters, you can count on this type of behavior dude.

Trust me.

I thought the tall, skinny one was going to pee her pants during the buildup to the announcement of the winner.

Yeah, pretty much like our house on election night, but with vodka/tonics instead of Cheetos.

Yep, election night. LOL!!!!

Oink on November 21, 2008 at 4:42 PM

Except that Cook won by more votes than Obama (12M vs. 9M)! Go figure!