The Bodda Getta

You should buy your kid that pony for Christmas liked they asked for! They will love you more because of it!

As a new parent, I readily admit there is a lot to learn, but one thing my wife and I have not compromised on is discipline. My son is 2 years old, and as any 2 year old does, is attempting to push boundaries. He will cry, attempt to throw tantrums, etc. I used to sneer at people whose children would behave this way. I still do, but only if the parent takes no action to correct such behavior. My son will undoubtedly do the wrong thing from time to time, but he will be doing so knowing the right thing to do and with the understanding that all his actions WILL have consequences, even after he has left the nest. The problem I see is that too often, many people love the idea of having a child, but don't consider the "being a parent" part of the equation and are rudely enlightened once the newness wears off. When this happens, they try to be a friend only, instead of being a parent first and THEN a friend. I want to be my son's friend, not in a peer sense, but in a way that he feels comfortable talking about anything with me, good or bad. He will also know that Dad and Mom are just that- Dad and Mom. I love my son more than anything I can imagine, but my wife and I are not planning to add onto our family until we can do so responsibly. Another problem is that too many people simply have too many kids. That may sound harsh, but it's how I see it. I grew up the child of divorce. My father saw very little of me (his choice) until I was much older and so my mother raised me. She only has one other child- my brother from her marriage to my stepfather, who also left us. My mom could have gone man to man, having babies in an attempt to find happiness on the government's dime, but she worked hard and raised the children she chose to have on her own. Statistics indicate an AA male raised by one parent may not turn out to be a productive member of society, but the lessons my mother, grandparents, aunts and uncles taught my brother and I have carried us into manhood and me into parenthood. I am thankful that I have positive lessons to pass onto my son