Smith Family Weblog

Local Mother Breaks Three Cardinal Rules of Parenting

KANSAS – In what parenting experts across the U.S. are calling “unadvised at best,” local mother Rebecca Smith broke three cardinal rules of parenting before breakfast early Wednesday morning.

The incidents, all of which involved Smith’s three-year-old daughter, Ava, occurred between 7 and 8 a.m at their home in eastern Kansas.

Smith recalled the first affront occurred shortly after Ava woke. Smith, admittedly weary from days of wardrobe battles with her eldest child, simply said, “Ava, if you get dressed without argument, I’ll let you watch TV.”

Parenting experts often warn that this type of bribery, while successful in the short term, leads to long term consequences. “Bribery rapidly becomes addictive for the child and the behavior becomes more and more scandalous in the expectations of achieving better and better rewards,” noted a popular parental advice Web Site.

The second infraction also occurred while Ava was getting dressed. Smith explained that in an effort to hurry Ava along, she knowingly contributed to creating sibling rivalry. “Ava, do you think you can get dressed faster than Olivia?” Smith asked.

This seemingly harmless contest has the potential to create a lifelong competition between the two siblings, who are three and a half years apart in age.

The final–and arguably the the most damaging–incidence of poor parenting took place a few moments later. Despite knowing the dangers of idle threats first hand, Smith hollered, “Maybe I should just call Grandma and Grandpa and tell them not to come!”

When asked if she would indeed call her in-laws and request that they postpone their visit, scheduled for later today, Smith said, “God, no. I can’t wait for them to arrive. I need some help.”

Smith’s husband, Bryan Smith, noted that Smith herself has reminded him many times how critical it is to provide only concrete consequences in which follow-through is imminently possible. “She’s always saying, if you’re not going to follow through, don’t threaten it.”

When asked how she could so easily eschew her own advice, Smith said, “Look it’s been a little stressful around here lately. I’m tired.”

Experts might caution her, though, that while these ill advised tactics save time and energy now, they will likely increase the amount of work required of her as a parent down the road.