By THERESA DAVIS
You’re the heroes. The ones who changed the diapers, stayed up all night, cleaned up the puke, poo and other unidentified things you never knew could come out of a human being. You’re Mom and Dad. The No. 1 people in your kid’s life.
Umm … I hate to break it to you, but there is such a thing as “daddy’s kid” and “mommy’s kid” – the one parent your kid is closer to. Then there’s your child’s grandparents or other relatives. Is your kiddo the one who is chatting away with one of them at every visit?
Why don’t they talk to you like that? Why isn’t your child closest to you? You’re the parent; the one who’s put in all the work. You’re No. 1. Right?
This isn’t the time to get jealous or angry. As kids grow and their personality develops, they are going to start having preferences for certain types of people. Furthermore, they are going to recognize that different people react to different things. They may want to express their feelings without receiving an enormous or miniscule reaction.
They may tell someone else something first in order to make sure their feelings are valid, or make sure they’re expressing themselves correctly. A rehearsal, if you will.
What if your crazy mother, your kid’s teacher, coach, etc. have different beliefs than you? In the current climate, your kids may hear opinions you may not want them to hear. That’s OK. They should be hearing different viewpoints on everything, so they can form their own opinions.
For example, I think it’s wrong to feed wild animals so they don’t lose their natural instincts. My child wanted a bird feeder. She called grandma and got one. I didn’t interfere. I just respected that she wanted to see the birds eat. The sky didn’t fall.
Parents, take heart. You aren’t going to be told everything nor are you always going to be the first to know. Your kids are going to listen and talk to others about anything and everything. The important thing is that you will always be their parents, and they will always need you in some capacity. Especially on allowance day.
Theresa Davis is a former early childhood educator and has worked in childcare centers for more than 15 years. She is also an adoptive mother, living and taking care of her family in the Capital District.