learned a new parenting phrase a coupla weeks ago:
you get what you get so don't throw a fit. (round here that'd be pronounced, yew git whatchu git n doan throw a fit.)
i think i like it. a lot.
i can imagine parents facing the age old struggle of attempting to keep pace with their children wanting to keep up with the latest fads, whether clothing or gadgetry. there's an opportunity to teach that Life's not about the things we buy, which can sometimes be a hard lesson, especially if/when the surrounding culture pushes consumerism. heck, lotsa adults struggle with this one, myself included.
what i like about it is that it speaks to starting from where you are. i can so easily complain about my background, whether about the abuse/neglect or bout growing up in a small town and the lack of exposure that can broadened one's perspective and offer challenges that can bring out the best in children, if they're supported. or the lack of funding, practically my whole life, the struggles of single parenthood, blah, blah, blah. it's never ending. but taking an inventory of the shortcomings of our past doesn't really benefit us. well, maybe once to raise our awareness, especially if we wanna do better for our children, but certainly ruminating over it doesn't help.
and this was similar to my son's response. my son, who's 19 and no longer needs my mothering, but it's sure nice having him around to have these kinds of conversations with, as well as others. initially he didn't like the phrase cause it sounded to him like there's no way to improve one's situation. i replied that i didn't think it meant that, only that belly achin bout it doesn't help anything.
we get what we get. and then we can move on from there, with choices from a range of almost infinite directions, one small step at a time. (which leads us to other parental phrases, lol.)
OR not.
an online friend shared with me how a parent used this phrase as part of their abuse, so it doesn't work for everyone. any phrase can be ruined that way, sadly.
