Business of Life

Because I said so, that's why

With all the moaning and groaning by the women in the Newsweek cover story on Mommy Madness, all  trying to be perfect Moms, it's a cold, clear drink of refreshing thought to read Rachel Balducci at Testosterhome, mother of four young boys

It is absolutely painful for me to watch when parents let their children run the show. One saving grace for Paul and I is that, when Ethan was very little, my sister-in-law told us about putting the baby down when he was still awake so he could learn to fall asleep on his own. She was the Queen of the 7 p.m. bedtime (and didn't get a lot of support from her friends, some of whom thought it cruel). I have seen families whose entire lives are up-ended for years because a child cannot fall asleep on his own. By taking that first step of control (Bedtime!), so many other things fell into place ("Because I said so, that's why!").