This sums it up....

You're probably going to hate me for this and volunteer to pay for my kids counseling. And that's fine. I understand and I'll accept your gracious offer as a gift to future generations. But as you know, I always value transparency as the highest value. 

So here is a story that perfectly sums up my approach to parenting.

The scene: Thanksgiving Day Parade. Vaughn, Eloise and I "tuggled" up on the couch watching the parade.  (Tuggle is Vaughn's word for 'snuggle' which he has never done in his life, but regularly requests we do that on Sunday morning instead of going to church. It's confusing, because he loves church and hates snuggling??)

The conversation: has been droning on for hours. Various topics include the floats, whether cousin Nathan is at the parade, the band that had just played, what we would do if we were in the parade, whether that is snow falling or some special effect, how big the floats are, etc. 

Enter the Harlem Globetrotters. I begin to excitedly explain what they do, since their presentation is limited to the 30 second snippets between commercials*. I carry on about how cool it is, all the tricks they can do and how skilled they are. When my knowledge and excitement for the Harlem Globetrotters has finally expired, I end my explanation. Before I can take a breath, I quickly interrupt myself and turn to Vaughn and say, "And don't say, 'I can do that'."

I suck. I know it though. And I'd rather be a parent that sucks and knows it (because at least I can move on up from that place) than be a parent that sucks and doesn't know it. Because there's no changing that....

*As a side note, one of the funnest and most exhausting things about raising kids who began life in another culture is explaining every cultural symbol, every tradition and everything that their peers grew up with that they have no idea about.