I hear this shit all of the time. Sometimes probably out of my own mouth, though mostly idiotically before having children.
"I'll never let my kids have too much tv or iPad time."
"I'll never let my kids bend from a schedule"
"I'll never let my kids eat too much sugar"
"I'll never tolerate THAT kind of behaviour from my child"
"My kids will always listen and have great manners"
"My kids will never hit or bite"
"My kid would never have a temper tantrum"
It's such parenting garbage. Throw all of the 'i'll never' out the fucking window. Give yourself a little wiggle room.
Its a parenting badge of honour when your kid has an epic tantrum in the middle of a store and you have to abandon your cart (HORRORS) and walk them screaming out to the car, praying you don't see anyone you know.
Sometimes you just need a box of timbits to get through a road trip and that is ok!
Right now we are getting our house ready to sell and we are in a constant state of cleaning and organizing. That involves a lot of screen time and movie watching for the kids so they don't tornado the house into a disaster while we are chasing after them.
You do the best you can and make the best of every circumstance and that's all you can do to get through the day.
It even starts as early as with a newborn:
"I'll never give my baby formula"
"I'll never co sleep, I don't want my baby to develop a habit of sleeping on me."
"I'll never feed my kids McDonalds." *note my kids eat mcdonalds once a week, and i'm cool af about it*
(yes I used 'af' in a blog post and it won't be the last time i'm sure)
Relax!! And let go of the lists of expectations for something that has no handbook to go with it. You are navigating unchartered waters EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Just when you think you have parenting figured out, it changes!
No one can tell you what will work for your child for listening, for punishment, for attachment parenting. Whatever choices you may be making they are YOURS and yours only. Don't worry about what Betty next door is doing with her baby scheduling.
You do you
You brave, boundary breaking, sexy mama.