I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know everything.  I cannot spell "hor d’oveurs" (obviously), I don’t know how to do a cartwheel, and if you hand me a soldering iron, I’ll just shrug and put it down.  I don’t know everything.

And being a parent?  Oh, God, no clue.  None.  Being a parent to a child that’s not mine?  Scares the bejeezus out of me.

Steph pointed me to a genius website that has a lot of good information in it.  And I’ve been reading up to see how to behave in a "bonus family," because.. again.. I just don’t know that.  I don’t even PRETEND to have a good grasp on it.

But.. children.. children, I know.  I’ve been teaching children since I was 12.  I’ve worked with kids since then.  I’ve got no degree, and I don’t do it as a profession, but I have a pretty solid understanding of what makes kids tick. 

I understand that children are fragile, and they should be allowed to self-express and have (limited) freedom.  But at the same time, there should be structure.  There should be rewards, and there should be punishment.  There SHOULD NOT be second chances.  If expectations are clearly outlined and established, there should be no excuse.  It’s a softened version of the "DO YOUR JOB" theory.

The hardest part is sitting idly by, knowing that it’s not your child to parent.  It’s driving me nuts. 

And also making "my clock" tick LOUDER.