Parenting 101, and work life: making changes to improve

I grew up with parents who taught me how to get stuff done. Saturday and Sunday were chore days. If you got in trouble, it meant chores continued all week after school, out in the yard, or in the house. The punishment depended on what happened at the time, and what we had done wrong in the midst of it all. I remember getting spankings with a spoon and usually being terrified that the wooden or metal would really hurt my bottom. There was nothing scarier than my father smacking each one of us with his hand. As a kid, it sounds awful, but looking back now it isn’t. We learned that disrespecting our mother, or goofing off in class, or causing a ruckus meant no dinner, time out, and no playtime with friends. As siblings, it was understood how much we loathed this arrangement and we made our parents out to be the worst parents in the universe. “Well, their parents let them stay out late, and watch TV, and eat junk food and candy, why can’t we,” we bargained and or pleaded our otherwise useless case.

 

 Thing is, how much can we attest that it was so horrible? There was food on the table every night of the week, unless we made the meal, which meant not only learning to cook and clean, but to be responsible for something other than ourselves. Dishwashing, sweeping, taking out the trash, wiping the baseboards, cleaning the toilets, making our beds, oh it was just horrible; hence le sarcasm. We stole cookies from the jar, money from mom’s purse or dad’s wallet, defiant as some children are, and so were mischievous, sass worthy and hot headed, brats if you will. How cool that because I loved to read, getting sent to my room wasn’t a punishment, but an escape. Although, we claim then it was terrible, and unbearable, cut check to us today. Three out of four have graduated from college, with the fourth obtaining his degree soon. Three out of four (who’s currently still in school) have full time jobs and living spaces outside the immediate home. All four participated in school athletics, extracurricular programs, and school involvement in yearbook, journalism, drama classes, and student government.

Each sibling has had a different path and college major choices as well. There have been so many changes for all four of us. If you asked each one of us, we would all have a different story to tell, but could tell you, that everyone has to go their own way. One thing I have been grateful for, is that two reside in so-cal to keep each other cared for, and two of us are in nor-cal, making it an even split of family siblings near and far. Our parents raised us right, or so we think lol. Sometimes they tell us, that they may not have done a good job, or that quote on quote: ‘we failed you,’ but I think they laid a foundation into future. We communicate with each other, maybe not every day or every two seconds…(*cough, cough* Max); just kidding, but we do connect at least once a month, or every other month.  This is a decent amount for four very diverse, crazy schedules and each other’s lives.

Parenting then meant if you didn’t like it, too bad it’s what you get. If you didn’t want it, well then go without it. The way their discipline and coaching, and lectures, and all of that blah blah blah people say doesn’t work or is dumb; turned into, ‘oh hey, I know how to do my laundry, cook a meal, clean my room, change oil in the car, tell someone no, save money(er or try!)’, etc.

I guess I really don’t like changes. Some can be good or maybe they are all great eventually. I chose to make a decision to move buildings according to a team lead’s strong suggestion to advance and improve at the work place. I thought it was totally stupid, and still kind of do. However, negativity aside, this could be a really good move, who knows. I will definitely miss the guys, and everyone in middle bay island (aka downstairs land at work), but they won’t be far so I can visit or vice versa. I think changes need to be made in order to see how you can handle it, what will become of it, and how much you may actually, truly benefit from it. Bring on the new office space, and weird coworkers…hopefully not too bat crazy lol.