Parenting......

I was just watching an interview with Jamie Lee Curtis on the new show 'The Talk'. Hey, it's late at work, I'm bored, and I watch tv shows. Actually, not that bad so far though. Anyhow, back to the interview. She was saying how her mother's generation of parents were more 'custodial' parents, meaning they provided for their kids, but left them to their own devices. And unfortunately, parents today are far too 'friendly' with their kids. I was thinking about it, and she's right. To be a good parent, is it better to applaud little Johnny for climbing the ladder to the slide every time he does it, or is it better to not notice when they get to the top and yell to show you? I know that I am so far from being the first of the two, and it makes me feel like a terrible parent, for not being at every PTA meeting, and running every bake sale, as I see some mothers doing. But I don't think I'm the type to completely ignore my kids, either. So if one extreme or the other is undesirable, maybe being somewhere in the middle, as I am, is the better parenting strategy? I want them to be able to talk to me, but I don't have the energy or time to be ecstatic over the tiniest accomplishment. Good job you got a 'A' on your report card! Not so much good jobbing done for riding your bike, that you've been doing for five years........