You Hide My Stuff...

I know that everyone has their own parenting style. Jeff and I are pretty similar, but there are differences. First of all, let me start by saying that when I was younger, I was convinced that I would be the "cool" parent. I was going to be lenient and just have fun with my kids. Now that I am older and hopefully wiser, I understand that some of the best gifts that you can give to your child are structure, constructive discipline, and unconditional love. Jeff thought that he would be the more strict parent.

Wow - how things change! I think Jeff is a great dad. He loves Adam so much and is very attentive to his needs. He can often obsess too much about some things, but he is always looking out for the best for Adam. I, on the other hand, have taken the role of the more strict parent. It's not to say that Jeff doesn't do any disciplining and that I am perfect at it because neither is the case in any way.

Nothing makes our different parenting "strictness" (is that a word?) more apparent than when Adam goes up to Jeff and wants him to pick him up. If we are in the kitchen, Adam will want Jeff to pick him up and put him on the counter. I can honestly say that Adam has probably asked me that question once - my answer was "No." I haven't been asked since. But for some reason, Adam continually asks Jeff to put him up there. Makes a person wonder - Does Adam stand up there when Mom isn't around? My guess would be yes.

So this past weekend, Adam finds my mascara and wants to continually unscrew the lid, take out the wand, and put the lid back on. Over and over again. I let him do it a couple of times and then he stopped and I put it away. Tuesday morning, I go to find my mascara to get ready for work and it is gone. Now I know that Jeff often hides things from Adam so he will not ask to play with it. My first instinct is that Jeff has hidden my mascara. So I ask Jeff where it is and he tells me that it is in the cabinet. Finally I find it thrown behind a bunch of other stuff. Let me just tell you that digging through your bathroom cabinet at 7:30 in the morning is not enjoyable. Then Wednesday morning, I go to put my mascara on again - and it is gone - again! Now I am completely annoyed. I asked Jeff where it was again and he gets up to find it for me (on the top shelf behind Kleenex boxes). Instead of getting mad at him, I think that maybe a way to get my point across to him about how annoying hiding my stuff is to me, maybe I should hide something of his. I decide to hide his razor. I almost went for the deodorant or toothbrush but then I figured he would use mine and that just grosses me out. He didn't think it was too funny later when I talked to him. He just called me a dork. NOTHING gets to this man! Maybe next time I will hide the remote.