HOW DO THE OLE CLECHE’S HOLD UP?

Years ago, when I was in Toastmasters, I presented Lullabies. One glaring example I used was “Rock- a bye Baby.” Just consider the first line of that nursery rhyme.

Ouch!

The one I am reexamining as a Grandparent lately is “Boys Will Be Boys.” If it is a vehicle to understanding, that may be alright, but if it is a path to excusing behaviors that aren’t appropriate, not so much. It sounds innocuous enough, but like Rock a Bye, Baby, it would do us well to suss out its message. I have been blessed with a son that turned out to be a fine man. During his “challenging years,” his mother and I didn’t excuse bad behavior with a cliche. We stayed the course with a high standard for him to look up to without resorting to Gestapo tactics. This is a place where Grandparents sometimes tend to “spoil” their Grands with what they think are the best of intentions. This doesn’t mean you have to be paranoid; check in with the parents, preferably with the kids listening, so they know you care enough to act in concert with their parents.