Parenting
By Jenna Thompson
Updated: July 29, 2016
Originally Published: April 8, 2005
One afternoon, I strolled into the bathroom and noticed the lid was down—a gesture from my youngest, who insisted it was to “protect the cats from drowning in the toilet.” I lifted the lid, only to be startled by a vibrant flash of color, momentarily mistaking it for a spider ready to pounce. To my relief, it turned out to be a large, green sticker from Killington Mountain, transforming my toilet into something reminiscent of a college frat house or an eccentric mall stall.
Just then, my oldest daughter entered, beaming with pride. “Do you love it?” she asked.
In our home, I strive to cultivate what I like to call a “’70s-light” childhood for my daughters. They create chalk masterpieces on the garage floor and hang colorful ribbons along the stair railing. In our backyard, they’ve built a fort where their imaginations can run wild, filled with treasures that might otherwise qualify as junk adorning the windowsills and ceiling. We embrace creativity, crafting outside the lines with leftover ribbons from gifts and the quirky molds that accompany Amazon deliveries.
Of course, we maintain a semblance of structure to avoid complete chaos. My husband and I designate certain areas of the house to remain relatively clear of our daughters’ toys. We have bins for shoes, assigned spots for backpacks and homework, and a few chores to tackle—like matching socks, washing dishes, and cleaning the cat litter—which sometimes get done. Like any family, we are a work in progress.
While this parenting style may not suit everyone, the ’70s-light approach has worked wonders for us. Sure, we might be a bit messier and bend a few more rules than some would prefer, but this lifestyle allows my girls the freedom to explore, innovate, and stretch their creative limits, while my husband and I can relax and stop fretting over rules we all know we’d rather not adhere to. After more than a decade of raising children, we’ve realized that sometimes, it’s best to just go with the flow.
Here are a few things we don’t stress about that might raise eyebrows among other parents:
- Glitter
This took some convincing. My husband initially resisted, but glitter is the ultimate craft ingredient and has a magical ability to resolve sister squabbles. “Want to do a project with glitter?” always gets enthusiastic cheers. - Unmade Beds
Life’s too short for a daily bed-making ritual. Plus, a neatly made bed looks even better after several days of delightful disarray. - Towels on the Floor
This issue arises only with one of our three daughters, so when I discover towels strewn about, I take it as a cue to give the dog and cats a bath. - Writing on Mirrors
With no visitors to our upstairs bathroom, I don’t mind if it resembles a car window after a long road trip with a dog. I know that after each shower, I’ll find some sweet “I love you” message on the mirror, and that’s perfectly fine by me. - LEGOs Everywhere
If there are LEGO kingdoms set up on every stair landing, it means my girls are engaged in play and creativity. The careful placement in corners shows they’re at least trying to avoid any “Home Alone” style injuries.
As for that gigantic sticker that I initially mistook for a spider, I look forward to sharing the story of how our toilet became dubbed “The Beast.” Yes, we left it there.
For more parenting insights, check out our blog on the home insemination kit to stay engaged with your parenting journey. If you’re interested in understanding your fertility journey, the Couples Fertility Journey for Intracervical Insemination is an excellent resource, as well as the Mayo Clinic’s guide on in vitro fertilization for further information on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, embracing a ’70s-light parenting style allows my daughters to flourish creatively while providing us the freedom to enjoy the chaos of family life.