What Not to Do

Dear Fellow Mom Bloggers,
I am new to blogging but have been inspired by Tiffany to share with you a few of my ideas and stories. Here's a little bit about me: I am a wife, mother of four kids ages 5-15, and a camp director. I'm also a runner, and that's my "me" time. That probably sounds crazy to non-runners, but I love running with my iPod cranking contemporary Christian songs. It really clears my mind and makes me a better person. I'm not a good cook, although I make good chocolate chip cookies and hummus (not together) and have figured out some super-easy crockpot dinners. I'll share those with you some time. I love to read but can't call myself a reader at the moment, because I rarely have time these days. Does reading blogs count???
I was a Camp Director working with other people's kids before I had any of my own. Before I had my own kids, I was fairly judgmental of the crazy things some parents say and do to their kids. Now I'm one of the crazy parents doing those very things myself, so I can relate to the parenting foibles of others much better. I think I've also learned some great parenting tips from the families I've worked with at camp and from my own kids. So, I'll just jump in and see if anyone wants to hear what I have to say.
I'll start with a story and an idea of what NOT to do: Don't comment on or pick at any blackheads on your teenage daughter. She sits next to me in the car. For the past two weeks, when I glanced her way, I noticed a blackhead in the crease where her nose meets the face (the really hard place to get to). I didn't say anything until I was in her room two nights ago. I asked if I could try to "get it." She said it really didn't bother her, but I persisted. I started poking and picking and wasn't making any progress. I turned into a maniac, yelling at the blackhead and telling it I wasn't going to let it beat me. I had my daughter pinned with her face on her pillow. "Other kids don't let their moms do this," she said and "Ouch, that hurts!" But I persisted. The result? Now my daughter, who once had a microscopic blackhead, has a red, inflamed area around her nose caused 100% by me. And I still didn't get the blackhead. AAGH! I apologized profusely and vowed to never again interfere with my kids' skin issues. She has graciously forgiven me, but I am still mortified. I should have learned from all of my own ill-fated experiences with picking at my skin that it is NEVER a good idea. Probably none of you would ever do this, but I just thought I'd pass along the tip.
Cheers,
Audrey