Life's Adventures Never Stop

   In the title of this entry I am not referring to my leg. It is doing much better! It looks ugly but I walk like a human, and it doesn't hurt when my little man bumps my leg, or asks if that is my sore leg as he taps it or something.

   Instead, I am referring to parenting. I watch so many parents and wonder how they do their parenting so gracefully. Here is what I am talking about. I have a stretch in ages here in my home at the moment. I have 3 weeks to 19 years. In the past General Conference we were instructed as parents that it is our responsibility as parents to watch out for out children. To protect them from the world if you may. If we don't the world will take every opportunity given to teach our children, and they are like sponges. (The talk I am talking about is found at the following site:  http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/courageous-parenting?lang=eng&query=courageous )

   The Nineteen year old is ready to stretch his wings and experience the world for himself. He is not a bad kid, in fact he is making a lot of decisions right now that fill a parent with pride. Here is the problem he would like to watch movies that we have not allowed in our home for various reasons. In our home my husband and I have the rule of no PG-13 unless it is okayed by he and I. So in our collection you will find Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and a few pre-approved chick flicks. Mostly though we have kids movies and movies that we can watch with our children in our comfort zone.

   Remembering back to when I was a kid, I had watched many movies and been oblivious to some of the content. Later when I had the movie and was watching it with my children (gasp) I have had one of those moments many of us have experienced, you know, "my parents let me watch this?" then you look back and realize it may have been seen at a friends house, a sleep over, or just a day out with your friends.

   My young man has began renting his own movies. Up until today I have had little problem. Usually he will watch them on his computer with his headset on. I figure when he has children of his own, he will either understand why we had our rule, or he will make his own rules. However today he wanted to show one of these movies in the family room with his girl, and he invited his younger brother. He told me the movie showed that the human race as a whole is good. In the past I have heard that this movie is morbid and not kid friendly. He had just told me yesterday that it would not be appropriate for the younger children. I didn't realize we were having this discussion for my approval of watching it as a family video. I had though he would be taking it to a friends or watching it on his computer.

   Many thoughts raced through my head. First of all I am the parent, it is my responsibility to protect my younger children. Second of all is he for real? Third, how am I going to tell the younger children they have to be in a separate end of the home because I think the movie their brother has chose is in appropriate? Fourth was panic mode. Panic mode is never pretty with me, because I don't think things through, I say what is on my mind, and it is hardly ever with grace and I feel like I lose some dignity pretty much every time. Mainly I think I have lost pride.

   I was able to redirect this young man and his girl to a different movie but only after a melt down of my own. In all truth I wish this parenting thing was all easier. My children would just take my word on things, they would not question me, they would know I had their best interest at heart. My real problem is I am not big on the confrontational thing. I don't do it with grace. I wish there was a book out there that would tell me how each child ticked, and how to approach things with them.

   Until that book is written I guess I will just have to take it a day at a time. Prayer is something I should rely on more, and trust that He knows what He asks me to do is another thing I could work on.