There have been revelations about some YouTube influencers touting strict rules for children who have crossed the line from strict to cruel.
I NEVER physically punished my children. (Yes, I told them the “the smacking hand is coming out,” but never hit them.)
I NEVER denied them food (Yes, I made them eat their “real food” or they couldn’t have dessert or other treats.)
I NEVER locked them in their rooms or otherwise physically restrained them. (Yes, I would send them to their rooms to cool off, but not for extended periods of time. They were free to move about their room and use restrooms. Yes, I might make them write an apology or other duties like homework, but never anything cruel.)
My goal as a mean mom always has been to give them good examples of how to treat people with respect and kindness, and to learn how to accomplish tasks on their own – not mom jumping in to fix everything for them. Making them take responsibility for their own words and actions and making them make their own decisions about things instead of always demanding what their course of action should be are things that made me a mean mom, not hurting them physically, emotionally, or mentally.
There will be posts with tips for accomplishing mean mom goals without being cruel. These include:
Teach your kids how to talk with adults.Teach your kids to make good choices.Teach your kids moderation.Teach your kids kindness.Teach your kids how to put in their best effort.
Do you have things you taught your kids as a mean mom?