It's my due date today and i've been thinking lately about the way I hope to parent/things I want to do with my DS in the ways my parents did, and what things I would absolutely do differently.
Obviously I will be brand new to parenting, so reserve the right to change my mind about a couple of things , but interested to hear from others what things they do the same as their parents, and what they do differently.
Things I hope to do the same:
- Instill what might be considered old-fashioned manners (i.e. asking to leave the table after dinner)and make them non-negotiable.
- Read a story to DS every night and have bedtime routine.
- Try and encourage a love of reading.
- Let my DS take part in as many or as little extra-curricular activities as he wants. I did LOADS out of choice, and it's only now as an adult that I appreciate the sacrifices my Mum made to ship me around everywhere at all hours of the day/weekend- i'd like to be half as selfless!
-Have fab holidays in the UK- we always used to go down to Dorset and Cornwall and i've got many happy memories of driving down there and having a lovely time out and about exploring and visiting all sorts of places.
Things I hope to do differently:
- Actually play and have fun with what my son is doing. My parents never 'played' with me i.e. games, with me and my toys. I didn't have my siblings around to play with so this used to upset me. Although it did help me enjoy my own company.
- I will tell my son I love him often. My folks didn't tell me they loved me until I was an adult and went away to uni! Didn't find it too weird until discussed with friends a few years ago, and now do think it was rather odd! Same goes for cuddles. My parents weren't evil or anything by the way, and i'm pretty normal now , they just weren't very emotionally forthcoming. I will also show emotions in front of DS i.e. happy, crying, annoyed.
- Set up a savings account for DS and teach him about money/budgeting etc. I was clueless and was packed off to uni with no idea about how to manage money (my parents had no money to help me with either) so I was a financial disaster! Only been the last few years that i've been super-good with cash, but a lot of years spent before that being crap with money- can't put full blame on my parents but it would've helped if they'd sat me down before I left and gone through spending, budgets etc. But they're crap with money too so didn't have the best basis probably!
-Take my DS camping. Always wanted to camp, parents not interested. Same goes for DisneyWorld- was always desperate to go but we never did because we couldn't afford it, and determined to take DS!
-Watch TV as a family. When I was little we all seemed to watch TV in different rooms, and no one was ever together.
-Go on a family bike ride and have a picnic. I had a bike but parents didn't so we never went on one- just always fancied it!!
There's probably more... will come back if I think of any...
So what would you/ have you done the same and differently with your DCs?