Parenting

So I've learned a lot of things living in my house with four kids. #1 is that I want kids. I already knew that but now it's confirmed. I would say that I want a girl but I witness the cute stage when they're six or seven and the bitchy pre-teen phase which is not fun at all ("Damn it, just get over it or start bleeding already!" is the response from my roommate). I would say a boy but they are fiendish and sneaky, more so than the girls. My determination is that there is no right answer. Either one is amazing in different ways.

Other things that I've learned-

Don't baby the baby. Just because it's little and cute does not mean that it should be able to get away with anything. It makes the older kids resent him and then they start turning on him. Not cool.

Consistency. Punishment means nothing if you turn around and cuddle two seconds later. I understand that when they're really young that after they've taken a nap or had some time to chill out, they will forget why they're being punished. You have to know when it's been enough.

Spend time with your kids!!! Children are meant to be heard, seen, felt (not in a creepy way), and experienced. Quiet does not always equal good. Kids need attention. If you have a dog you take it for walks and pet it. Multiply the time you spend with your dog by five and that's a minimum amount of time to spend with your kids.

These are just a few things that I've thought about recently and they may not be universal. I do know that the best part of my day is walking inside and have an adorable little girl hug me and not want to let go. Of course you may get the same response from a loving dog for less cost and fewer gross diapers to change. It's up to you.