Came Home Today To a Bad Surprise :(

Actually, most of my students at WNEC are very well behaved - but then I get to mark them :-)

Same with my kids. Angels with others, devils at home.

Really, it's best that way, Victor.

I prefer the borrow and return method when it comes to children....

I have to say that, for the most part, if a child has rules [and the adult sticks to them] they usually turn out pretty good. I don't have a problem with my nieces, but then again, I'm in a different position than a mother.

I agree Anita. My kids had boundaries. They'd get right up to those 'boundaries', but they rarely crossed over.

All I had to do was lift my eyebrow.

The 'tradition' has been passed down, although none of my daughters can lift their eyebrows, their children also have boundaries, and, after a little testing, they hold. Limits and consistency.

Dogs are so easy compared to kids!

Totally agree, ladies. Too many parents today just give in, starting from early on. Then they wonder why they 'can't control their 14 year old'.

My DH would say: 3 strikes and your out. Plain and simple.

My granddaughter pays absolutely no attention, so I go Alvin, Alvinnnn, ALVINNNNNNNN, and of course, she turns around and says Whut?

Now that's very funny!!

That's good Polly!

Ya gotta love kids with spunk.

But the parents need to keep them from being destructive. All children need and want limits.

Melly, I want to hear what you get on camera. Our deer are extremely neat about biting off flowers. And that's usually all they eat. But they do leave footprints.

I found deer footprints in the little garden nearest the street. Also found lovely stems with no dahlias. It must have happened a few days ago because there was one in bloom and one bud. I brought in the bloom just in case they return.

Bummer. Give him / her the gps coordinates to Al's house.

Deer bites off very sharp and clean, I have lots of them around, their latest activity has been to slice off some of my Joe-pye-weed (SP), tperfect height for them, After brushing my retriever his hair is wrapped arround the hostas, deer will not get near them, they also got my tulips and other spring flowers, all I can say , well they were here before we were and they have lost lots and lots of forrests to feed themselves, but it is sad to see all your work being destoyed by animals or humans.

As far as children go, I was a tough love Mother with total support of their father. Now I am a Great Grandmother, and all of them are super intellegent, very independent and equally well behaved. Of course, times were not always rosy, but they thanked me later for showing them how to be a good parent and they are, I am very proud of them.

Hear! Hear! Maria!

There need to be more parents like you.

Absolutely! That's our approach.

I feel very sad when I see my neihbors who are very good people but very modern parents. For instance, when I try to tell their mother something and a child comes araund interupting us, does she say, I am talking with Maria, wait till we are finished, no, it is to the contrary , excuse me , what do you want Johny or what are you talking about, she expalins in great detail what it is. Now I think this is to much catering to the child, how will they ever learn to contain themselves and not get their way all the time? And, what is bedtime 10 o'clock ar night? No way was this the case in my family, nor is eating dessert before dinner, nir not eat what everyone else has because they do not feel like that food at the moment. On an on I could go, must be I was brought up in Austria, with very strict parents, actually too strict, never was allowed to talk unless I was talked to first, Dinner was at a certain time and not five minutes later. I really could go on and on but it would only bore you.
If I made any mistakes typing please excuse them, I do not see to well and also have no idea how to type except with two fingers

Yes my parents also took your approach Maria. Worked for us. My kids know that there will always be limits, responsibility and accountability, but they will always know how much we love them.

Early bloomer - ever think about a garden of stinging nettles? That ought to teach them a lesson! Actually I've heard that nettles are actually good to eat after you boil them changing the water a couple of times.

LOL AYankee, what a good idea but don't know about eating boilded nettles

yeah..how would you itch that if you missed a few nettles!

It would probably itch all the way through!!

Here is a website on cooking nettles. http://www.learningherbs.com/nettles.html Apparently as soon as they are steamed or boiled they lose their sting.

Just like MIL's.

very funny Victor

No, I never thought about nettles but I did toy with the idea of an electric fence for a while.


early_bloomer

for your MIL???

Nettles grown in pots with little toy cars all around them . . .

Ohhhh! We are all so mean!

LOL!

Nettles, Barberry and assorted other thorny plants. New take on a 'cutting garden'.

Good one, Victor!

yup - he's real sharp

There really is a difference between prickles (as on rose stems) and thorns, as in Wellington thorn. They are huge.

Hopefully those vandal kids will soon learn the difference!

There is a red rose called "Robusta" that apparently has "nail-like thorns" for an impenetrable hedge. What are the legal ramifications if someone gets hurt on your hedge?

Check with your own insurance agent to be 100% sure, then get it in writing.

And, I suspect, in triplecut (sp?) copies. lol

Aren't THEY the trespassers? There is no way they could say a patch of thorny roses or stinging nettles is an "attractive nuisance"! You got to feel sorry for the kids, though - they can't feel like they are loved and valued if their mom doesn't even watch them.