Who do you think you are?

I'm just going to jump right in. First of all, let me make a disclaimer - I became a mother because that is what a woman does, she gives life. So, I have given birth to four amazing children that I have devoted my whole life to. I love them to the moon and back. Never have I ever regret being their mother but the fuckers sometimes don't realize how lucky they are to have me as their mother.

It boggles my mind how children sometimes think they are clever than their own mother. Yes I am aware of the fact that I am not perfect and I do not always know how to handle situations but whatever I do or however I handle a situation, it is based on the greater good for them. I am pissed! As a parent it is my responsibility to protect my child just as much as it is to ensure that I teach them lessons about life that nobody else are going to teach them but will say to them, "Didn't your mother teach you how to behave?" There are situations in which I follow my sixth sense or intuition or gut feeling - I call it the voice of God - that warns me that something is not right. Sometimes I jump in and intervene before the worst can happen, while other times I let it happen because I want them to see what I could foresee hoping that it will teach them a lesson. However, kids have the tendency of arguing with you as if they know better. What the fuck.

They have the audacity to look down on you with that ridiculous attitude of "Leave me alone, I know what I am doing, who are you to tell me what to do or not?" The bloody things can't even provide the bare minimum for themselves yet they think they can disrespect you as they please. Don't misunderstand me, I have raised my children to voice their thoughts, to speak their minds and never allow anyone to restrain them from speaking their truth and to stand up for themselves. I want my children to feel empowered enough to know their rights and to stand up for what they believe in. I have raised them to be liberal and open-minded. I want them to view life from all angles. I want them to know that they have the right to live and to be whoever God created them to be. I acknowledge that they are unique and have their own personalities and it is lovely to see how they grow into those beings. I love watching my children develop their own individuality.

But, there are just certain boundaries you do not overstep as a child. No matter how wrong I may be, with my weaknesses, I am still their mother and while not knowing everything, I know that I fucking want the best for them, always. While there is no 'Perfect Parenting Manual' that can fully guide a parent because whoever writes those manuals write it from their experience and perspective of how parenting should be. What works for one parent can't possibly work for everybody. There is no one-size-fit-all when it comes to parenting. I follow my gut and yes, I didn't go to night school for no reason. I do not just make uninformed decisions about my children.

All I want to say here is, children need to realize that their parents were born before them and there are certain things that they experienced as they are growing up that taught them lessons that they certainly are using as benchmarks to redirect and shape their children's lives. It is true that people say, "Experience is the greatest teacher, let them learn from their mistakes". I do not agree with this statement. While allowing your children to try out things and make mistakes, it is wise for a parent to educate their children and inform them about the consequences of their actions. Parents need to let the children know that every action has consequences. Some consequences will teach them lessons that they can use as stepping stone for better choices in life but there are certain consequences that cause so much damage that can scar them permanently. As a parent, I can not sit back and watch my children getting hurt and let them deal with the detrimental consequences.

I hope my children will read this and understand why I have to say no to some of their requests in as much as they get furious and think I am being unreasonable. I am just disciplining them and protecting them from the worst. They need to understand that no matter how uneducated a parent is, they are still your parents and that they should respect them. The fifth commandment says, "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you".