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Sep 15, 2009, 11:45 AM
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Member Since: Jul 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Posts: 2,779
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Many people have told me that I raised an exceptional child. My son will be 16 in December.
One of the things I never tried to do was be his friend. My job was to be his parent, his guide, his rock.
When he would get mad at me for enforcing a rule, he's say, "Why are you being so mean?" I would say, "I never promised you NICE!"
This past summer, I took him over to a friend's house and he asked me to pick him up at a certain time. I told him it was too close to the time we were expecting company and he needed more time to shower. He said no, his time would give him time to shower. I gave him "the look". He blurted out, "Don't judge me!" Well, I had never heard that come out of his mouth before. I quickly said, "I am not judging you. I am judging your decision." He got the funniest look on his face.
Another time this past summer, he went to a rock concert with a friend. The following morning, he called me from his friend's house. He told me he had lost his cell phone. After discussing it, I told him he was going to have to use an old one. He said ok. Later, I called the cellphone company and found out I could replace his phone for only a small charge.
So, when he got home, I told him. He said, "Mom. Aren't you even going to yell at me?!? I thought you'd at least yell at me!" I told him, are you sure you lost it or did someone nick it (pickpocket him)? He stopped and said he really didn't know. So, I said then it isn't appropriate that I blame you unless we are certain that it was your fault.
One time he did jump into a swimming pool with his cell phone in his pocket. THAT time he didn't get a new phone. 
His older half-sister and half-brother have told him many times in the past that he is spoiled. I asked him if that had something to do with why he was upset that I got him a new phone. He said yes. I told him to not listen to them, that he is in no way spoiled, that he does not ever expect things and the things that he has, he appreciates and takes care of for the most part. Spoiled children don't appreciate where things come from.
How do those of you manage to raise more than one child at a time? Sometimes I tell myself, no wonder my mother drank, trying to raise four kids and having three teens in the house at once. 
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 Vickie
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