There are certain things most people accept to be true of good parents.Â
Good parents do not beat their children. Good parents do not spoil their children. Good parents provide structure, discipline, and a supportive, caring environment. Good parents do not feed their children cookies for breakfast (at least not regularly). Good parents express love and affection for their children.
Good parents do not get so carried away by the thought of going out without children that they put on a movie for their kids and the babysitter and walk out without letting the sitter know they are leaving or where they are going or saying good night to their offspring – even if the sitter is a beloved and trusted family friend with whom the children are completely comfortable.
Not that it happened to me. Just sayin’, that might be an example of some poor judgement by the parents in question.
April 20th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Oh dear, that is funny
I haven’t actually done that, but I’ve come close! Don’t worry, they won’t remember it!
April 20th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Oh Shannon…
You’re potentially being way to hard on yourself. I say potentially because I don’t yet know all the facts.
If this was some lame kids movie drivel like “Spy Kids” or “Barney smokes pot” (not sure about that last one, I obviously don’t watch a lot of kids movies…yet!), then I would say, shame on you!!! A parents loving embrace should always trump the DVD-Nanny.
However, if you were treating them to an Oscar-worthy performance of say Sir Anthony Hopkins, or the amazing Judy Dench, then you were not only respecting the art as well as the artists, but also their young and impressionable manners during this pivotal learning process of honoring and paying homage to the fine instuton of the cinema.
For this I say to you…bravo.