Mum finally admits I would be a terrible parent

[Kittish]

Blue Ginger, I think you may be my long-lost twin! I have absolutely zero patience with kids behaving badly, and if they belong to a relative, I'll not only tell off the kid but the parents too.

I've apparently got a really scary grin, and I use it to excellent effect. All it takes is a few seconds of me staring with that grin fixed on my face and whatever kid I'm directing it at goes running off for mommy or daddy, screaming in terror. It works all the way up to teenagers.

My nephew (3 years old now) is fascinated by our cats. I keep telling him that if he bothers the cats, he WILL get scratched, and it will be his own fault. Sure enough, he got scratched a couple of times and came crying because the kitty was mean to him and got told it was his own fault and he'd get no sympathy from me for doing something I've told him over and over not to do.

I've also got a standard response when he (and until she grew out of it, his older sister) throws a tantrum. He gets scooped up under his arms, held at arm's length and taken to the computer room, where I set him in the middle of the room and shut the door then stand with my back to the door (inside the room with him) and just stand there silently and expressionlessly watching until he decides he's done with the tantrum. It takes a remarkably short time for him to quit acting out when I do this. I think he's figured out (like his sister did before him) that I will not pander to bad behavior.

[greek_jester]

My mum did something similar when I had screaming tantrums when I was a toddler. Leave me in the middle of the room and completely ignore me while doing something else. Apparently I only did it twice (I was a quick learner before the brain thing).

[XCashier]

I know people say "when you have a kid you change." And that's true, but they aren't talking about loving another person more than yourself, or generally having a different perspective. They are saying that you suddenly become a different person who lets the kids do whatever they want, like in your story.

If they truly loved their kids, they wouldn't let them do whatever they wanted. That's no way for a kid to grow up. Spoiled, thoughtless children become absolutely insufferable adults.

[Aria]

I don't know. Reading that story makes me think that you would make the best parent out of the lots.

I was just thinking this. Although it's just fine not to want them. Personally, I'm childless and fond of my sleep too.