#PARENTING

[sentinelcole]

Also, to add my favorite quote from Ms. Marvel: "Good isn't something you are. Good is something you do."

I try to be a good parent. I try to do the things a good parent does. Will I be successful? I don't know. Do I always do the right thing? God no. But I'm going to keep try my best all the same. Cause I won't be a good parent if I don't.

Parents don’t get to decide if they were “really good” parents. I know that’s harsh and there’s a lot of mommy positivity circles online that just give each other a positive feedback loop but you don’t decide if you were a “really great parent” to your child. Your children tell you if you were a good parent or not. I see this a lot of no contact parent circles where the person who is no contact with their children is like “well I was a GREAT parent so it isn’t my fault and I didn’t do anything wrong”. Normal parents wonder if they’re doing a good job, ask themselves how they can improve, are open to feedback from children and other parents. If you are 100% sure you were a faultless fantastic selfless awesome fantastic parent totally beyond reproach and your shitty ungrateful willful delinquent children just don’t appreciate you enough, you are a terrible parent.

[an-unknowntraveler]

Cheering up

LEE Telemachus, Ler Penelope and Odysseus. very slight lee Odysseus.

Pls don’t ask how I finished this so fast.

Twenty whole years... twenty whole years had passed since Odysseus was gone, then... he returned. He killed all of the suitors, to protect his son, Telemachus, and his wife, Penelope.

Telemachus loved his father, but was struggling to get adjusted to having his father around, considering his father made... some rather... terrible dad jokes. Penelope feared Telemachus would dislike his father, despite it being the opposite.

And it was a year... after the return of Odysseus of Ithaca. Telemachus was training with Athena, but he kept getting distracted. "Is something wrong??" Telemachus heard a voice say, then he looked up. oh. it was just Athena. Telemachus didn't know what to say, or do really. He just sighed, and sat down on the ground, while Athena looked down at him with curiosity.

"Telemachus??" She called out again. And there it was.. no reply. she was slightly concerned, she was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts though, when Telemachus suddenly spoke up. She looked at him again, as he said the words of... "Athena, I don't know why. I love my father dearly — yet I can't seem to get adjusted to having him around. Despite him being gone for so long, and me constantly missing him." He looked ashamed of himself, and looked away from her, in fear of what she'd think.

"Oh... Telemachus... don't worry about it, please." her much stoic tone during training vanished softening a lot, as she kneeled down next to him.

"It's okay to feel that way Telemachus, it's confusing sometimes. your feelings are valid, no matter what. it's okay to be confused. or scared." She spoke, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"you,me, Penelope, and Odysseus, know deep in your heart. You love your father. You might not be adjusted to having him around right away, but that doesn't mean you don't love him, because you do love him. That's what matters most."

Telemachus started crying, babbling about something. “Athena!! But- but— I don’t want to feel this way! It’s not making me feel better!” Athena didn’t know what to do, so she disappeared. Just like that. Telemachus cried more when she left, he felt alone. He kept thinking… why did she leave?? did she hate him? Is she ashamed of him?? She might be…

Penelope was walking through the palace, and found her son, Telemachus sobbing. she immediately went over to him. “Telemachus? My son?? Are you alright??? What happened?? Where’s Athena…?? Did you get hurt?!?” she suddenly panicked, worried he was hurt, and that Athena left him.

“What— no!!—“ Telemachus sniffled, he spluttered when he spoke. “I’m not hurt— I’m fine.. it’s just..” Penelope stopped panicking much. But was curious, and raised an eyebrow. “Just what, Telemachus…? Talk to me…” she looked at him, sad.

“How do I say this… mother…??? I… I’m not adjusted to having father around— I love him dearly— but I’m having trouble getting used to the annoying dad jokes, when I’m trying to acutally talk to him, I’m tired of the jokes!! I just want to be able to talk without joking, and humor..” Penelope’s gaze turned stern slightly.

“Telemachus.. your father is trying his best to get to know you better! He’s trying to have fun with you.. you need to be nicer!” She raised her voice slightly. Telemachus was shocked, on hearing her close to yelling at him. He felt hurt.

“I just spoke my feelings to you?! And that’s all you’re going to say??…” he sniffed. he stood up, and ran off, to his bedroom. Penelope’s slight anger turned into guilt. She didn’t want to hurt Telemachus, but she didn’t understand why he’s feeling this way. she sighed, and walked away. she went to hers and Odysseus’ room.

Odysseus was sitting on the bed. “Penelope!! hello—!!” Odysseus spoke akwardly, though he was happy to see his beautiful AAAMMMAAAZZZIIINNGG wifeee! but he was confused to see her looking… slightly guilty??… what had happened?? Odysseus became concerned. “Nel….?” When Penelope sat on the bed next to him, she looked down. He scooted closer to her, and held her hand tightly, slightly rubbing her hand with his thumb gently.

“I feel like I hurt Telemachus.” She suddenly spoke, and looked at her husband, who was confused, again. “Whaa….??” Penelope groaned.. “I said… I. hurt. Telemachus. Accidentally.” she poked him in the side each time, he scooted away from her when she poked him, slightly embarrassed. but then it faded.

“How’d you hurt him??” Penelope was scared to tell him, incase Odysseus got mad at her for it. “I… raised my voice at him.” Odysseus had never felt so stunned in his life?? his wife, the sweetest woman in the entire world. RAISED HER VOICE… “WHAT..??” He said a bit louder then he wanted.

“But you have to understand, he said your jokes are annoying, and that you won’t take him seriously. I told him you’re trying your best and yeah.”

“Oh.” Odysseus said.. “well.. where’d he he go. maybe we can cheer him up, huh..?” Penelope slowly looked up at him, and smiled. “Ohh.. yeah… you’re right. did you know, Telemachus is ticklish?? He’s as ticklish as you are!” “Oh- hey!” Her husband huffed. and stood up.

“well let’s go find him, Hon.” He walked out of the room, she followed. they walked around the palace, and eventually found him sitting in his room by himself. “Hey, kiddo.” Odysseus sat next to Telemachus on the bed, and Penelope sat on the other side of Telemachus. “We’ve been talking.” She finally spoke.

“About what.” Telemachus said, coldly. Odysseus raised an eyebrow. “are you giving us attitude??” Telemachus scoffed, rolling his eyes. “What if I am??” “Don’t be annoying.” Odysseus scolded softly. “We were here to come cheer you up!” Odysseus then said, happily.

Telemachus furrowed his brows in slight confusion, and annoyance. “and how are you going to do that?? I’m not a child anymore.” Telemachus kept up his annoyed front, till Penelope spoke, and Telemachus became nervous. “I told your father, you’re ticklish.”

Telemachus’ eyes widened with horror. “You told him… WHAT??” he panicked. Odysseus and Penelope smiled at him innocently, till Odysseus spoke. “First, you need to hug us. Cause you love uss… sooo muccchh!!” Odysseus was teasing him. And hugged Telemachus, and so did Penelope.

Telemachus hugged them back, till he stifled his laughter, as he felt one of them start tickling his sides. “Nohoho…. Stooppp…!!-“ then the second set of hands tickling him, he started giggling, and couldn’t help it. he figured out who was who eventually. his father tickled his stomach, while his mother tickled his sides, Telemachus giggled, and giggled, his laughter was slightly squeaky.

Telemachus snorted when his father tickled his underarms instead, and he kicked his feet slightly, and pushed against his father and mother a tiny bit. “Well that was a silly sound, wasn’t it??” Odysseus teased. Telemachus squeaked at that, and he blushed slightly out of embarrassment. He felt like he was dying.(from the teasing. Not the tickling.) “Hahaha— you guys! Stop it— I cahahant take ihihit!!” His laughter was joyful and infectious, and Penelope laughed softly.

Telemachus giggled more and more, his parents eventually stopped. Telemachus still giggled softly after that. And caught his breath, while his freckled face was still slightly flushed. “We didn’t bother you that much, did we??” His father asked, looking at Telemachus. And acutally hugged him. “No.. I’m fine… thank you.” Telemachus finally said. He hugged both of his parents. he snuggled against both of them softly. He was feeling slightly sleepy. and eventually fell asleep. his mother brushed the hair out of his face gently. and kissed his forehead. “Goodnight my son…” she said, and smiled. in Telemachus’ dreams. He was thinking of getting revenge. but he couldn’t tickle his dear mother. So he’d just have to tickle his father instead. hint hint…

[glorious-spoon]

my 7yo is home with a stomach bug and he's really being a lot more philosophical about the whole thing than i ever am when i'm sick

(mostly, he's peeved about spoiling his perfect attendance record. personally, i'm peeved that his school gives out awards for perfect attendance, such that i had to spend twenty minutes explaining to him that he could not go to school like this)

[tastefullyoffensive]

35 Hilariously Painful Names “Creative” Parents Gave The Kids Who Will Someday Hate Them

[animentality]

[mostly-funnytwittertweets]

[thehmn]

A lot of people around me are having kids and every day it becomes more apparent that hitting your children to punish them is insane because literally everything can be a horrible punishment in their eyes if you frame it as such.

Like, one family makes their toddler sit on the stairs for three minutes when he hits his brother or whatever. The stairs are well lit and he can see his family the whole time, he’s just not allowed to get up and leave the stairs or the timer starts over. He fucking hates it just because it’s framed as a punishment.

Another family use a baseball cap. It’s just a plain blue cap with nothing on it. When their toddler needs discipline he gets a timeout on a chair and has to put the cap on. When they’re out and about he just has to wear the cap but it gets the same reaction. Nobody around them can tell he’s being punished because it’s in no way an embarrassing cap, but HE knows and just the threat of having to wear it is enough.

And there isn’t the same contempt afterwards I’ve seen with kids whose parents hit them. One time the kid swung a stick at my dog, his mother immediately made him sit on the stairs, he screamed but stayed put, then he came over to my dog and gently said “Sorry Ellie” and went back to playing like nothing happened, but this time without swinging sticks at the nearby animals.

[anexperimentallife]

I love this.

[jesus-judging-you]

GOOD POST! important

The older generation's fixation on forcing you to have kids is something they absolutely refuse to unlearn. You can give the calmest and most reasonable explanation for not having kids and the only thing they can think to say is, "But what of the heir to the lands?" "Who will inherit the throne?" "Please sire upon your barren death there will be a parochial schism that will soak our soils with brother-blood." They literally hate to see you happy with just a cat.

[asynca]

my parents never came to anything I did.

I have so many memories about this, but one in particular: when I was away at camp with 89 other teenagers, and at the one-month mark the post was collected distributed to all the dorms. 89 other children tore open their boxes and, shovelling handfuls of sweets their parents had sent them into their mouths, read pages-long letters and handed around photos of their brothers and sisters.

I didn't. I didn't get anything, I sat on my empty bed watching them. The teachers had to call my parents and ask if perhaps the post had gone missing...? but my parents were surprised they were required to interact with me while I was away.

Well, today, my 3-year-old daughter had a fun-run. The childcare centre invited parents to come but stressed that if we weren't able to, it was alright. There was no fucking way I wasn't going. My daughter wasn't going to be the only child there without a parent watching.

I got time off work and stood there in the beating sun and plastered in greasy sunscreen waiting to see my little girl emerge from inside the centre and stand on the track.

When she did, her little eyes searched through the crowd person-by-person for me, and absolutely lit up like the sun when she spotted me.

Mine filled with tears as I waved at her and cheered.

I'm breaking the cycle.

[cpericardium]

seems reasonable

[happyherringbonkpickle]

[season-of-hope]

Like every other thing that has happened in the 21st-century we can blame this on some damn fool thing in the Balkans

(whoever guesses what I’m talking about wins a prize)

[wordswithloveee]

[typhlonectes]