Who is in charge??

Okay, disclaimer - I'm not a child expert. Heck, most days I feel clueless. But I'm going to vent anyways as if I do know what I actually am talking about.

I know the time change is hard. I know it's hard to get up when your body says it wants sleep. I know how hard it is wake up kids whose bodies want more sleep. With that said...

Why do parents let their two year old sleep in? They bring her an hour late and say she just got up. She slept 2 hours late. And at nap time she thinks it's playtime. And will go to sleep about the time everyone gets up and we leave. And she will be a grouch for the rest of the day. Because they don't get her up at the same time every day. They let her set her own schedule. A two year old in charge of her schedule. Except that at my house I set the schedule, and nap time doesn't change because you got up late.

I'm amazed at how many parents are afraid to parent. When I suggest that they get her up at the same time every day, they said they couldn't because she is grouchy. Yeah, I don't do want to do anything that makes my kids grouchy, but sometimes you just have to deal with it. They complain that she is up late and doesn't sleep good. Well, put her to bed and get her up at the same time. It works good here, so I'm guessing it would at home. But they won't put her to bed and let her fuss, or wake up and let her fuss.

And it's not just this child, or just when to get up. It's parents afraid to correct their children when they are rude. Or unwilling to make their whiny 5 year put their own shoes on. Or unwilling to impose consequences that they would have to follow through on.

I'm not a parent expert- but I'm sure that it's a good idea to set the routine for your child. A good idea to not let the 2 year old decide when she gets up, when she eats, when she naps, and when she wants to do what you asked. IF you want to raise your child that way, it's unreasonable to expect your childcare provider to allow the 2 year old to do that at her house. And it's going to be shocking to her when you do decide to parent, if you ever do. And if you don't -well, she will be an adult who is unprepared for the real world.

Okay, I'm done venting. Somedays I wonder why I don't go get a job with adults. But then I remember some of them I worked with, and at least the kids are still kids and have a reasonable excuse for acting like a spoiled brat.