The Rules

Moons ago, B.C. (that's Before Children), we met these friends.  On Valentine's Day, actually.  I remember this, because it was the first time we visited this particular church in our quest to find a new church home, because the pastor preached an acrostic message using the word "valentine," the pastor wore a very loud tie with bright red and pink hearts all over it, and we got invited to the small group at our new friends' home that night.  Why?  Because we were new, and Supermom got bored during the sermon, decided we looked harmless enough (think they know better now?), and drew a map to their house with their names, phone number, and the small group meeting time.

We went.

I should mention here that Supermom and Snarkydad had two and eight-ninths kids.  The oldest was a little girl who wasn't quite three.  Next was a little boy who was almost two.  Slow-cooking still was baby #3, who wasn't due for another month.  And given that Supermom was a relatively small, slender woman, she looked like she was trying (ineffectively) to smuggle a basketball.  (It was cute.)

As I said, we went.  Small group started at 6p.

Everyone else had left by 8:30p.

We left at 1a.

What can I say?  This was twelve years ago.  We were young, stupid, and kid-less.  The cats (two of them at the time) could fend for themselves well enough.  We laughed ourselves silly.

Innyhoo, that crazy night started a friendship with this couple that we've come to cherish.  They are among our dearest friends, and I think of their kids--who now number 7, from ages 14 to 5--as nieces and nephews.  These aren't just friends; they're family.

Given that we didn't jump into parenthood until almost three years ago, having them to go to for parental advice and commiseration has been invaluable.

Not much of it has really changed, mind you.

We hadn't known them long before we learned their three rules of parenting.  And let me tell you, I love these rules.  They've been sanity-restoring at times.

Here they are:

The Rules

1. Sometimes it's better not to watch.
2. Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to.
3. Everything washes.

  

 Man, oh man, have those been important.  I can't express how much.

So, if (by chance) you see a Rule mentioned in any post, well, there you go.  Now you know what I mean.

And I'm telling you, every other parent I've told about these rules has laughed in a rather long-suffering way and agreed with them.