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

[Tinijocaro]

I've never regreted not having my boys circumcised. When you have a perfectly healthy infant and do nothing to alter that perfection, it really isn't a parenting decision. I did the same for my girls.

Jackie

 

[yoopermom]

I've never regretted encouraging DS to take chances:
"Sure, go play in the mud" (clothes wash)
"Sure rearrange everything in Daddy's garage into a fort" (good excuse for DH to stop being such a slob!)
"Sure, have friends over" (I would rather have them at my house where I'll *know* what they're doing)
"Sure, dig for dinosaur bones" (The worst he found was what we believe to be an opossum, but it's hard to tell )
"Sure, read that book" (It may be too hard now, but he may return to it in a few years when he's more able.)
"Sure, take your bike down the sledding hill" (Heck, isn't that what insurance is for?)
"Sure, ask questions" (who wants an obedient, but totally deadened child?)

I would never put him in harm's way on purpose, but I do think that sometimes we shelter our children too much. For example, when DS was 5, he watched his DGM sewing, and asked to touch a straight pin. She told him to poke his finger with it gently to see how sharp it was. Of course he drove it down a good inch into his finger. Caused no lasting damage, but ever since, if told something is sharp, he's careful!

Terri

 

[JaneH]

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.

...

What area/county of Maryland do you live in? (if you don't mind me asking) we have been looking at different areas in the state.

 

[lecach]

Letting DS sleep on my chest when he was tiny. It was the only way for both of us to get sleep some nights. I was told I would spoil him by doing that but I didnt.

Doing Cry It Out for bedtime. DS now sleeps SO much better. And the worse he has ever cried was 10 minutes. It was hard - but I think it was the best thing for him.

 

[Cindy B]

No video games Mon-Thurs

Limiting computer games/activities with computer to academics only Mon-Thurs

ONe activity per child per season.. I'm the only one here in the afternoons. I can't imagine driving all over creation with two kids in two different things.

Staying home for six years.. I can never take those years away.

 

[buddy&wooz]

OK, I have more .

Making the choice to live in a smaller home and drive older cars so I could stay home and we could live in a great town.

Going on a big family vacation at least every other year, just the 5 of us. Taking us all out of our routine and having new experiences together has really bonded us, I see it the most with my oldest. Well worth the expense!

Encouraging my kids to be independant from a very young age.

"Forcing" three years of piano lessons on each of them. It gave them the basics, what they do from there is up to them.

Buying cheap furniture so I wouldn't always be yelling at them for messing it up .

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I don't regret:

not terminating my pregnancy because of a poor prenatal diagnosis
putting our kids in public school
letting them fall down every now and then so they can learn to pick themselves up
forcing my dd to finish the soccer season when she wanted to quit halfway through
not spending tons of money on designer clothing
not putting my dd in preschool

 

[Disney_1derland]

I've never regreted not having my boys circumcised. When you have a perfectly healthy infant and do nothing to alter that perfection, it really isn't a parenting decision. I did the same for my girls.

Jackie

Hey Jackie, I pm'd you some questions

 

[JennyMominRI]

I've never regreted not having my boys circumcised. When you have a perfectly healthy infant and do nothing to alter that perfection, it really isn't a parenting decision. I did the same for my girls.

Jackie

I had my oldest son circed and he got a horrible infection...I didn;t circ the younger one and at 11 he's never had any problems. I don't regret it one bit

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I don't regret:

*Taking my kids to WDW at least once a year even if we have to do it on a super tight budget.

*Taking the kids out of school for fun family trips to concerts or the zoo. They are both straight A+ students so it obviously hasn't affected their grades.

*Letting the kids take any lessons - piano, voice, guitar, violin, dance - that they asked to take. Oldest DD now plays 5 instruments fluently at age 12!

*Putting my kids in public school. I grew up in private school but we have been very pleased with the magnet schools in our area.

*Insisting that my kids use good manners. I always told them that there are 2 things that are not negotiable - safety and respect. I beam when other adults comment on how polite my kids are.

*Moving back to my hometown so my kids could grow up around my parents, their Godmother, my Grandmother and DH's mother. My siblings come visit my parents once or twice a year so their kids don't get the daily relationship that my kids get with their grandparents. That is priceless in my book although some days my parents drive ME batty!

*Getting a dog. I never had one growing up but my girls LOVE our dog.

 

[kikakeko]

1.Having my kids young, when they are grown and graduated we will only be 42.

2. changing schools for my oldest dd this year when she was having peer problems in our old school. this was after 2 years of battling the bullies.

3. lots of girly hang out time- dh works 60+ hours a week so it is just the 4 girls a lot here so we have lots of fun together.

4. giving each kid a chore chart- I never had chores as a child and was shell shocked when I got married at 18 and had to take care of my new family.We had lots of pink socks back then.

 

[MossMan]

Let me see, I’m a pretty terrific parent so it’s hard to come up with only a few examples of my superior parenting skills. Here’s a partial list though:

Taught my kids that racism is mostly bad and that nothing justifies the use of racial slurs except getting ripped off by that Korean grocer down the street. (At least I think he’s from Korea.)

Instilled a sense of independence in my 5 year old by getting her to make breakfast for her younger brother and sister. (As an added bonus, this gives me an extra 20 minutes to sleep in every morning.)

NO TV EVER – on the big TV in the living room. (That’s where Daddy like to take his naps. If they want to watch TV they can always go downstairs and watch TV in our un-heated basement. I never go down there because rats and spiders freak me out - so the kids get to watch all the TV they want without the hassle of parental supervision. )

 

[In a hurry]

Let me see, I’m a pretty terrific parent so it’s hard to come up with only a few examples of my superior parenting skills. Here’s a partial list though:

Taught my kids that racism is mostly bad and that nothing justifies the use of racial slurs except getting ripped off by that Korean grocer down the street. (At least I think he’s from Korea.)

Instilled a sense of independence in my 5 year old by getting her to make breakfast for her younger brother and sister. (As an added bonus, this gives me an extra 20 minutes to sleep in every morning.)

NO TV EVER – on the big TV in the living room. (That’s where Daddy like to take his naps. If they want to watch TV they can always go downstairs and watch TV in our un-heated basement. I never go down there because rats and spiders freak me out - so the kids get to watch all the TV they want without the hassle of parental supervision. )

You have to see the humor in life!

Isn't it amazing how different choices still equal happy healthy families!