It's scary that you're a parent....

Most of the other middle school parents are pretty good as far as being intelligent people just trying to manage all the 'crazy' our children bring home daily. We're not perfect. Sometimes we need fresh ideas or advice from other parents about the road we're traveling. That, 'it takes a village' concept wasn't far from the truth. 

Then there are the other parents.

The ones that you wonder about.

The ones, that you wonder_how_they_knew_enough_about_sex

to even get pregnant in the first place.

The ones, that as you sit there listening to them, 

make a good case for mandatory sterilization according to IQ level.

The ones, where for the briefest of moments, you envision choking

or hitting with your car on the way out.

These parents, thankfully, make me look like Dr. Spock

(and I mean Benjamin, not the Vulcan)

They are the clueless mom stuck in the 1950s mentality of child-rearing, the bully dad that you can just tell beats the hell out of his kid, the parent that thinks the school is responsible for teaching the child how to be an adult, and then for me, the most annoying of parents regardless of their parenting skills -- the one chewing their gum like .... well, let's just say in earnest. I'm never quite sure what their point is because all I can hear/see is that damn gum. Anyway, these parents haven't modified their parenting to fit the times. I worry less about what their kid's feelings and experiences are, and more about my child interacting with them. These are the kids that cause the biggest problems because no matter how you slice it, the kid will more than likely become a bully. The meek mom complains that her child verbally abuses her, the man who abuses his kid will either raise a bully or a victim, and the parent who simply doesn't parent raises a kid in constant survival -- great fodder for a bullying mentality.  

We have to set rules for our kids. We have to set limits. We have to set punishments, and we have to stick to our guns. I'm a marshmallow inside, but when it comes to setting limits on my daughter or doling out a punishment, I'm unwavering. Do I want to waver? Oh hell yes! I want my daughter to have happy, fun-filled and carefree life. But that isn't the world she's growing up in. There is no Utopia. And the perfect world doesn't exist in any greater degree simply because you have more money. When I'm handing out a punishment (which I sometimes must talk myself into doing because it's the only way to impart the lesson), I remind myself that it is MY responsibility as a parent to raise a person that can function in the world. I have to give her the skills to endure happiness, hurt, disappointment, anger, elation and humility. It's exhausting. And when faced with the types of parents mentioned above, I'm not so sure they should be parents. I mean, shouldn't there be some sort of test to pass, before our teens are handing them out?

I'm not only afraid for my child and the people she's going to have to relate to in the world, I'm worried for me.  I know the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree. One day I'll be old and probably see these kids again....hopefully not at a Meet the Candidate night.