At one point the friend was talking to Noah and said, "You know at some point your parents will learn how to say No to you"

Ooooh....like a mammal I would have flipped.

I mean, we don't give in to every single want of Emeline's. But sometimes, saying yes can mean the difference between a good time and a really horrible time. And even if I don't want her to have something, if it means keeping her happy right then, fuck it - she gets it. Meaning like a cookie or other treat that normally she doesn't get. Not like, "oooh! A pony."

Also also ... Noah is still in total baby stage. What can you say "no" to at that age (6 months?)? Food? Dry diaper? Good heavens.

ETA: Jeebus. Almost a YEAR??? Holrey Morey!! Time has flown!

IMO there is no such thing as discipline until you're nearing 2. They genuinely do not understand cause and effect at all. Discipline is more like cleverly outwitting them and removing obstacle to cooperation before they notice them.

My mother, on the other hand, thinks I am some kind of communist for believing this, and told me my six month old was manipulating me. And she HAD kids!

Erm, hope I don't dispirit you, flea. That sounds familiar.

(12 was the thing that's been a revelation to me since, about family-peoples. After some hissy I had, my mother told me "I love you, but I don't really like you right now." It's been a sentiment I've needed to apply on occasion and I bless her for giving me the words to express and embrace the emotional turbulence.)

Mexican sounds good to me (Is the name Cocina Barro?). I'll probably get out of here sometime around 5:15-5:30. Want to meet at the restaurant?

I think that's the name! Margaritas and mole it is. I'll be at the restaurant at 5:30.

I was the surliest 14 year old ever. (We're late bloomers in my family). And the best maternal button-pusher. I fully expect to see payback for this in 10 years.

But sometimes, saying yes can mean the difference between a good time and a really horrible time.

And I wanted to say, "If you want to be able to sleep in and not be woken up by this baby at 5 AM, you'll give in."

My mother, on the other hand, thinks I am some kind of communist for believing this, and told me my six month old was manipulating me. And she HAD kids!

Of COURSE babies are manipulative. It's how they stay alive. If they didn't manipulate us, they'd be left in their carseat on the curb with a sign that says "Free to okay home."

Discipline is more like cleverly outwitting them and removing obstacle to cooperation before they notice them.

But this is also true of 13 year olds!

"You know at some point your parents will learn how to say No to you" and I had to be stopped from ripping her head off. I wanted to say, "Yeah. I was a perfect parent too before I had real kids."

Yeash. He's a BABY. Their sleep cycles are not adult human. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, neither are my parents. Or yours, Kat! Babies aren't supposed to be. (The rest of you all are just weirdos.) But that's the collision of people unfamiliar with babies and those that are.

Also? Yeah to the perfect parent thing. And I'm not a parent! Just a very much part-timer. Still, I'll have my Views. But I try to cram them down because, look, I'm not living it. When I do, even part-time, well then I can try out my schtick. Until then, I should stick with suggestions, not judgements.

Of course, I still fail, sometimes.

I still fail, sometimes.

Should be on a t-shirt and worn by every parent ever.

Taking away something at the moment (other than turning off a tv or sending him to his room) will always escalate the meltdown for mac. It's been a hard thing for me to realize in the moment that I can usually control the turn of his mood by how I react at the first outburst or bad behavior.

Kat, you showed great restraint in not slapping that friend. I've verbal slapped a few childless people in my life when they said similar.