What are some parenting decisions that you've made and never regretted?

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I'll start...

1. Taking my DS3 off of sugar after realizing he is sensitive to it. He is a different child.

2. Enrolling our DD9 in a Spanish Immersion Magnet School. She is fluent after only 4 years. Our state has seen a huge influx of hispanics since making our decision.

3. Turning off the tv, computer and ps2 in the afternoons and evenings Mon.-Thurs. It makes life less chaotic.

How about you?

Lori

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

In order to us playstation, Nintendo or games on computer, you need to read 30 minutes to gain 15 minutes of play time. This has opened my kids up to reading more and their grades have improved since! I actually catch myself telling my DS12 to put the book down and do something else!!
It also takes away from me having to tell them no to using their games. It puts it all into their hands>

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Years ago we also banned video games Monday-Thursdays, which was a great decision. I do still allow tv and computer, but the computer is done mainly by my older kids and it's more in place of the telephone (AIM). They have to have good grades or they lose the computer M-Th, too.

 

[buddy&wooz]

No TV on weekday mornings at all, no exceptions. Been doing this for 12 years now. Mornings are smooth as silk around here.

Half an hour of reading before bed- at least while they're younger. The youngest (age 8) still does this, the older two, not so much.

Making a chore list / chart, by day and week, with the kids trading off responsibilites. Now when I need them to do a chore I just point them to the list, no battles about whose turn it is, etc. And on that same theme- teaching them how to clean the bathroom!

 

[In a hurry]

I made/make my kids try new foods. Some they like, and some they don't, but they are required to give it their best shot. It has paid off, and my daughter eagerly tries new stuff, knowing that she may find a new favorite.

 

[DaisyD]

Not controlling what my kids eat. I've always let them eat whatever they want and they have turned into very healthy eaters. I am of the "don't have to even try it" brigade!

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Sending my child to parochial school instead of our bad public school. Best decision I ever made!!

 

[In a hurry]

You know, more importantly, I am thankful that we have always made an abundance of time for our kids. I think that if I had to look back on my son's lives and think that we "should have" spent more time, listened more, loved more, that their deaths would be even more unbearable. But, instead I look back to times of laughing, reading, talking, hiking, chores, and most of all loving, and I know their lives were good. They were loved, and happy the majority of our time together.

 

[EthansMom]

Starting DS in swim lessons at an early age. He started in Mom and Tot lessons at 18 months and loves to swim. DD will start swim lessons this summer at age 2.

Reading to/with our kids in the evenings before bed.

Exposing our kids to different foods.

Edited to add: We've also never regretted taking the kids on any vacation.

 

[GEM]

I've never regretted letting our little guy sleep with us and nurse to sleep every evening for most of his life so far. We ignored all the well-meaning people who said he needed to "cry it out" and "learn to put himself to sleep", and I'm so glad we did! Now, he's almost three and he's going to sleep after Daddy reads him a story and sleeping in his big boy bed most of the night - and I really miss that special time with him cuddled up next to me enjoying his milk and cuddles. He's getting so big and grown up, and I'll never regret those wonderful, snuggly baby and toddler sleepytime memories!

 

[makinorlando]

Leaving my ex-DH (and the D does not stand for Dear.....) when DD9 was just 5 months old, and going the rode alone as a single parent. He has no involvement (his choice) has paid only $253 in support in almost nine years (and is on the run not to be caught by the Support police.....).

He is an alcholic, and I decided I would rather raise her alone, than have the influence and dysfunction that his issues were bringing to our relationship, scar her childhood. I had hoped that this step would help him see he should make other choices for his life, but at that time it did not. He seemed to value a bottle of vodka over our family!

I think DD is well adjusted, and our family works the way it is.....

Also, moving to FL from PA was a big one too - my whole family is there, but I just felt like we needed a new start on our own. We see and speak to family often.

 

[hentob]

1) Being Stay At Home Mom.

2) Having my children use manners from the day they could speak. I do not buy the "but they are just little" excuse. They must use manners at all times (even with each other). I cringe when I hear children that say "Give me" instead of "May I please have...". Or a child that does not use please and thank you's at all times. Table manners are also a must, even at McDonald's

3) Holding off on the video games until they were older. They have always thought Leapster (very educational) was like a Game Boy. They finally got a Nintendo, and they can only play with it on the w/ends and the timer is set. Only rated E for Everyone games are allowed. They love it, but I can see a very big difference in them after they are done playing with it..And it is not a good difference. They seem edgier and slightly more hyper. So this may be a regret

4) Taking them on day trips to museums, tours of factories, over night hotel stays just to have fun in the indoor pool during the dead of winter, aquariums, zoos, etc. We had three children under two and people made comments that we would be prisoners in our own home for a looong time. NOT true! And, of course, all of the WDW vacations will NEVER be a regret. Yes, they cost a ton of $$$, but worth every penny to see their faces on any given day of the vacation.

5) Never spanking/hitting/or in-your-face screaming at any of our children. As babies/toddlers, redirection worked very well for us. As school aged children, we now "talk things out" and it has worked beautifully

6) Deciding three children was enough for our family. Perfect for us!

 

[Papa Deuce]

1. Having a vasectomy
2. Having a vasectomy
3. Having a vasectomy
4. Having a vasectomy
5. Having a vasectomy



LOL..... I absolutely adore my daughters, but I don't have the patience to do it again. And I don't want the added expenses either.

 

[SC Minnie]

- Demanding a second opinion when I didn't feel DD's ENT was doing the best for her. And sticking to my guns when he called and questioned why I would want a 2nd opinion.

- Making DD become active in at least one physical activity. It was her choice which one.

- Volunteering to lead some groups DD was in but not everything.

- Request she say please, thank you, yes m'am, and no m'am.

- Deciding that 1 child made our family complete. Convincing DH to take care of things.

 

[grlpwrd]

* limited tv

* lots of family time, like board games, reading or exercising together, and letting them sleep in my bedroom sometimes

* having 5 kids and a big house to be able to live with them

* including aspects of our mutiracial culture in our daily lives, like food, traditions, etc.

* teaching them to embrace technology, not be afraid to learn, and incorporate it wisely in their daily lives - Side story... I just helped my older dd's download music to their Creative Zens and it only took us less than 15 minutes to do it. Then again when we first hooked up our computer speakers we forgot to turn it on and it delayed us a bit (lol), but we did it without my dh doing it or helping us.

 

[mom2boys]

Sending my child to parochial school instead of our bad public school. Best decision I ever made!!

Mine is just the opposite. We took ours out of parochial school and placed them in the award winning public schools in our area. We are askinig ourselves why we paid so much money for so long when they are getting a better education in the public school. I realize that public schools can also be disasterous and that we are fortunate to live in an area where the publc schools are good.

We too banned video games & computer Mon-Thurs. What a difference it makes. I think my kids would have (tried to) quit all of their extra-circiculars if they thought they could spend that time playing video games.

Signing my guys up as Tiger Scouts in the first grade. I did it for social purposes at the time. Now that one has been a Boy Scout for a year & the other is about to bridge, I am amazed at how the Scouts have helped them mature. Their troop motto is "Esto Vir" - become a man. My oldest has truly learned skills that will benefit him throughout his lifetime. It is so much more than hiking & camping. He is learning to be self-reliant, to network, set & achieve goals...

 

[Christine]

Getting my kids off the bottle at 13 months.

I was having a hard time doing it and my ped said "what are you waiting for? The longer you wait, the worse it will be." He was right. I just set my mind to it and it was easy.

 

[Miller1412]

1. No TELLETUBBIES! or BARNEY!

2. Taking the kids out and about from their first days...shopping, eating out, vacations, etc.

3. Taking a vacation without the kids once each year, just me and DH. The kids get valuable grandparent time, and we get much needed time alone!

 

[kasar]

1. Travelling - giving our kids a chance to experience different places with us and stopping the cycle in DH's family of being afraid of everything.

2. Saying no occasionally (okay, a lot). It's okay for them to experience disappointment.

3. Rocking my babies to sleep. Loved every minute and would do it again in a heartbeat, despite every "expert's" opinion that it shouldn't be done.

4. Staying home with them. Wouldn't have missed that for the world.

5. Getting them into Sports. Gave our girls self-confidence and we've made some lifelong friendships ourselves.

 

[Longsx3]

- Reading to DD(9) every night from the day she was born until she was 7 and we still read together frequently! DD is now an amazing reader and speller and she loves it!

-We don't limit TV or Computer usage because in our house it isn't an issue, DD reads because she loves it and when the weather is good she loves to be outside. She does like watching TV but it isn't all consuming.

- DH requesting an assignment to Germany! DD has a great love for travelling and seeing the world. Her first request when we moved to Germany was to spend her 8th birthday at the Eifel Tower. Now that we are moving to Okinawa, her first question was when can we got to Mt. Fuji, how about China??