Things Good Parents Do: Reader Favorites of 2008 (part 2)

(Jim's fam in front of a door in Rome.)

Here are a few more fun posts I think you'll enjoy if you're new to Things Good Parents Do...(new material coming this weekend :)

Fun on Flight 1703 (The Zippy and Lippy Show or Dad Gone Wild!)

Christmastime 2007, my family and I traveled to New York City, (a favorite destination of ours--especially around Christmas). The trip was amazing--Central Park, The Grinch and A Color Purple on Broadway (go Fantasia!), pizza at Famous Ray's (on 42nd St.), M&M's superstore, breakfast in a diner with singing serving staff, and a number of memorably aromatic cab rides:) A good time was had by all. And now we were flying home to the land of Mickey Mouse--with a plane packed full of giddy would-be mouseketeers. Read more!

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"A Dog + a Little Girl + An Automatic Car Window = Family Nightmare" Or "What You Gonna Do When Life Poops on You?"
It was an ordinary day. We had no reason to think it would spiral into a nightmare for my 8-year-old daughter, Kristin--and for our chronically shabby, ungroomed schnauzer named Frosty (Frosty's a she by the way).

The family was packed into the Blazer, making a rare trip to Frosty's groomer. Read more!

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The "Pre-Perfect" Parent
I am 46 and I still battling my middle school nemesis--acne. This keeps me in touch with the whole teen experience and sometimes makes me question God about the unfairness of life (Why God, WHY???). Though I love taking skinventory as much as the next TEENAGE guy...gets a little old at 46.Read more!

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Two Tykes on Trikes Cross Highway on Quest for Quisp and Quake! Parenting and Nutrition
The plan was perfect:

*Snatch spare change from around house (steal from mom's purse if necessary).

*Drive tricycles to grocery store which was far away (2 miles).

*Purchase Quisp and Quake cereal because mom wouldn't buy sugary cereals for us.
I was 3-years-old when I hatched this scheme. Admittedly, I did have an accomplice, my identical twin brother Phil. Read more!

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Good Parents Raise Children to Be Winners (The Baby Expo)
My wife Karen and I ended up at a Baby Expo when my son was still very young. I don't remember how old he was, but I do remember he was an expert crawler--sometimes a stumbling, bumbling, rambling, four-step walker. So whatever age that is--he was. (Though I am SURE it was before MOST children do the stumbling, bumbling thing :)

After paying $6 each to get in, we had $50 to "splurge" with. Read more!

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Good Parents Tell Their Children That if They Believe in Themselves, They Can Accomplish Anything!
Sure right NOW...

...Little Susie Celine Schwartz makes the dog howl when she sings...but one day...she will fill arenas (even church people have said this--non-fibbers!), IF she just believes in herself.

If you just believe in yourself, you can accomplish ANYTHING--it's what they've heard from their good parents all their lives--even at 3! Read more!

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Good Parents Prevent Their Children From Poking Their Eye Out
Like Ralphie's mom...teacher...and even Santa Claus in the movie, A Christmas Story, the #1 thing we've all heard from our parents is:
"Don't __________ (any of 1000 things)--you'll poke (or shoot) your eye out!"
Interesting that the eye shoot-out is #1, while, "I love you!" is like the #8 thing parents say, right AFTER #7, "You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out!" Read more!

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Good Parents Always Allow Their Children to Do What "Everybody" Else Does
"Mom! Why can't I go? EVERYBODY else is going!"
"Dad, you never let me do what EVERYBODY else gets to do!"
"Ohmigosh, EVERYBODY is going to be there...EVERYBODY! So why can't I go?"
"I want ___________ ! EVERYBODY else has one!"

The good parent would never keep their kid from doing what EVERYBODY is doing. One of the biggest fears the good parent has is that their child will not get things everybody has or enjoy all the fun that everybody enjoys. Read more!

Thank you for reading!

See these other Parentconsensus blogs:
A blog of parenting at its worst (cautionary tales): Families in the News
A blog on parenting and families at their best: Families That Inspire
A blog celebrating the joy of Christmas all year round: Christmastime Memories