Maybe it's just because it's that time of the month but there is something that really bugs me. It's super parents. Here's an example of the kinds of conversations I have with these people. I am exaggerating just a bit but only a bit.
Me: We've decided to go with the Calvert Curriculum for our schooling this year.
Other parent: Oh we've researched for the last 48 months based on our childrens' individual needs, learning styles and proclivities and have formulated our own curriculum based on a combination of unschooling, the Charlotte Mason method, Waldorf method and A Beka curriculum.
Me: We try to say our prayers every night before going to bed.
Other parent: We have several times of quiet introspection through out the day where we think about our selves and our place in the universe. We meditate and do everything in mindfulness and gratitude. Everyday, we pick a Proverb from the Bible and talk about how it relates to us specifically and our relationship with God. And we recite the Beatitudes each morning before school being mindful of exactly what Jesus was saying to each individual as well as the church as a collective.
Me: We had Kraft macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and carrot sticks for lunch.
Other Parent: There is no way I would ever serve my child anything processed ever. We have only organic vegetables. We don't eat red meat and only organic free range chickens and wild caught fish. We visit our local farmers market every weekend for our vegetables and eat them raw most of the time. In addition to our farmer's market purchases, we have a large vegetable garden and use it to teach our children about ecology, botany and entomology. Our milk is my own breast milk pumped using a sterile reverse osmosis filtration pump with no plastic parts.
Me: I've got my kids each signed up for AWANA, Scouting and swimming. My daughter also does orchestra.
Other parent: Oh we do AWANA, Classical Art, Crochet, Scouting, 4-H, reading club, hiking club, FFA, hockey, soccer, swimming.... ad infinitum. I believe it's good for children to be well rounded.
Other parent 2: We only do one activity and that's (fill in the blank). I believe it is important for children to have down time. It sparks creativity for them to be bored some of the time.
Me: My son is a little hyperactive during school. It makes it a little difficult at times.
Other Parent: I have 6 foster children coming from a variety of abusive situations which all need different levels of understanding. They are each of varying races. So our curriculum for them must be tailored to their specific multicultural needs. This is also a good learning experience for our own children as they are able to see first hand how different cultures can relate to each other and they are able to understand better the transgressions of their ancestors. Of our three biological children, one suffers from Asperger's syndrome. He's gifted as well so we have to tailor our curriculum to be advanced enough that he's not bored but still at his level so that he's not frustrated. Our daughter has cerebral palsy and is uncommunicative. We must have a special computer in order to do her schoolwork. Our youngest has been diagnosed with ADHD and has dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. Two of the children also have bi-polar disorder, one is schizophrenic and one has OCD.
You see where I'm going with this. Yeah, you're perfect parents, I suck and I'm totally incompetent. Here's your parent of the year award. *rolls eyes*
