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I agree. This is what I was talking about with the helicopter parents. I am definitely a "mean" mom.

my parents were definitely strict on us and that helped a lot. I thnk the term "mean" mom can be easily misinterpreted but being firm and strict on certain things does help build discipline in children.

I like all her points. A big one for me (and one of my mom’s parenting philosophies) is that I am NOT your friend, I am your MOM. So many parents want to be their kids’ friends and let them get away with stuff because of it. I’m not here to be LO’s friend, I’m here to be her parent and guide. She should have her own friends.

A million yes’s to this: "Hang on to yourself. If you submerge your pre-kid personality —goals, hopes, dreams, likes, dislikes — into parenting, you’ll go looking for that self later and find no one’s home. And to raise independent children, you have to model independence."

She doesn't seem like a mean mom to me. She sounds just like a mom.

@artbee: agreed. I agree with all of her points... and don't think it equates to the word "mean..." though I guess I can see from a child's perspective that it may be... but most kids I know don't think of their disciplining moms like that

Doesn't seem like a mean mom to me!

i definitely think kids are too entitled and expect the world to cater to them. i want to be a mean mom!

Not a mom yet, but I'm definitely a "mean" teacher. I love my preschool students to death, but I'm not there to be their friend. Kids need boundaries and discipline and they'll respect you more for that.

When I started in my current classroom, the other teacher would say "These kids don't..." Or "So and so doesn't listen very well." Well, they've learned to listen to me (most of the time anyway) lol. My students will get mad when I tell them to stop doing something or when I make sure they're paying attention and they'll say "You're not my friend anymore!" And i'll say "That's fine. I'm your teacher, not your friend." I adore my kids and we have a ton of fun together, but they also understand that I'm there to teach them.

@yoursilverlining: that is such a big point for dh and I. LO will have plenty of friends and won't need 2 more. Only 1 set of parents though. It's our job to equip LO to be a caring, productive member of soceity.

@banana: Yep, my aunt and uncle are "nice" parents I guess. I don't think my 10 year old cousin has been told no by his parents more than 5 times in his life, no joke.

Its ridiculous.