Baby rolling off the bed – check! The baby eating dog food out of the dog bowl
– check! Allowing child to see a movie
they shouldn’t have – check! Child
cussing to imitate daddy in front of church friends – check! Yes, yes, yes, we all make numerous
embarrassing mistakes as parents, so we look around and hope not too many
people noticed and we try to do better next time. It’s Parenting 101. No one does it perfect, well except maybe for
June Cleaver, yet she’s about as real as the pearls I wear while I clean house. Some recent TV viewing has left me in a state
of disbelief. I strongly feel that maybe
only for the sake of helping fellow fledgling parents, we shouldn’t advertise
our mistakes, except for maybe in a blog
about 15 years after the fact.
Anyway, you get my drift.
I have yelled too loud at soccer games and in the rare chance that a
parent has caught my “Get the ball Blue!” on tape I guess I will just have to
live with it but that is nothing compared to the giant televised mistake I saw
on TV last week for the first time………………”Dance Moms”!!!
What is this!!! These
moms have their whole lives wrapped up in their daughters dancing and they
throw away any sense of parental moral compassing just to keep their child in
the limelight. One episode is all it
takes to see that these women are making a huge mistake not only having their
daughters take dance lessons from this barracuda, but they are having this
aired on television for profit. Where
are the grandparents? Where are their
friends? My parents would not hesitate
to tell me that I should not let my kids go out without coats (or even me go
out without lipstick). Aren’t the
grandparents mortified about their grandchildren and children being exploited
for entertainment this way? I understand
parents make money from this show airing, but at whose expense? These poor kids are going to grow up never
feeling good enough, despite being incredible dancers, and they will also grow
up advertising their parents let a dance teacher run them as well as their
children.
I have already made it very clear to my children that they
will never, (and I know to never say never – but I’m extremely clear about this
one) never are they ever to appear on “The Bachelor” or “ The Bachelorette”. Crying in a limo because the man you met
three days ago doesn’t want to marry you is never anyone’s proudest
moment. Either is reciting a love poem to a complete
stranger. It may make for good
television but not for proud home movies.
I’m happy that people can embarrass themselves and live with
the ramifications of it. Heck, I stick
my foot in my mouth plenty of times.
Thinking a police officer was flirting with me at the car wash years ago
when really he was laughing about the one lens missing in my sunglasses is a
hilarious story to recall – but not something I would want to relive
commentated by Chris Harrison, claiming, “best embarrassing moment ever!”
So, in a nutshell….
Watch reality shows and enjoy them but also use them as a learning tool
to remind you and your children to never be on these shows. Just buy a video camera and keep it in the
family. Also, beware of cab drivers that
seem too interested in you – there just may be a camera in the rear view
mirror.
