A Memo From Your Kid

[Bumper]

A Memo From Your Kid

Don't spoil me.
I know quite well I shouldn't have all I ask for.
I'm only testing you.

Don't be afraid to be firm with me.
I prefer it; it makes me feel secure.

Don't let me form bad habits.
I have to rely on you to detect them in early stages.

Don't let me feel smaller than I am.
It only makes me behave stupidly “big”.

Don't correct me in front of other people if you can help it.
I'll take more notice if you talk quietly in private.

Don't protect me from consequences.
I need to learn the painful way sometimes.

Don't make me feel my mistakes are sins.
It upsets my sense of values.

Don't be too upset when I say "I hate you."
It isn't you I hate but your power to thwart me.

Don't take too much notice of my self airments.
Sometimes they get me the attention I need.

Don't nag.
If you do, I'll have to protect myself by appearing deaf.

Don't forget that I can't always explain myself as well as I'd like.
This is why I'm not always very accurate.

Don't tax my honesty too much.
I'm easily frightened into telling lies.

Don't be inconsistent.
It completely confuses me and makes me lose faith in you.

Don't put me off when I ask questions.
If you do, you'll find I stop asking and seek information elsewhere.

Don't tell me my fears are silly.
They are terribly real.

Don't ever suggest that you are perfect or infallible.
It gives me too great a shock when I find out you are neither.

Don't ever think it's beneath your dignity to apologize to me.
An honest apology makes me surprisingly warm to you.

Don't forget I love experimenting.
I can't get on without it, so please put up with it.

Don't forget how quickly I'm growing up.
It must be hard to keep pace with me, but please try.

[traci]

That is awesome, Bump!! And sooooo true.....all of them, I esp. like the apologizing part. I am frequently wrong and always try to apologize to them, I think it makes it easier for them to apologize to others:p