Fuck the naughty step!

I've just been doing something online and I was asked what category my blog comes under.
 I don't even know. My only option anywhere near close to what I write about was a parenting blog.
I went all 'deer in headlights' and panicked at the thought of it. I'm definitely not to be idolised or listened to when it comes to my blogs, please take them with a pinch of salt.
This little task set off a train of thought about parenting blogs and the people that write them. The blogs I'm talking about are the ones with nanny 911 advice and recipes for dinners containing your entire 5-a-day, organic ingredients, magic chickens and an entire virgin vegan that has performed opera at the royal albert.
I could never compare to these people and sprinkle out advice about raising perfect children. But what I do have is a realistic stance when it comes to parenting. Experience of what happens when shit goes wrong and your child does not comply with perfect parent regulations.
I have endured enough tantrums and ruined enough recipes to write a solid Bible on how to survive the 'dark side'.

The main thing I want to reassure you with here is that sometimes,  just sometimes, the naughty step doesn't bloody work. I have discovered this on several occasions.
No matter how many times you calmly place your child on the step, she just runs. Upstairs, under your legs, she's like a fucking greyhound.
So what the fuck do you do next?!  Nothing, I say. This is the time when I just give up and go and find something less stressful to do. Fuck the naughty step.
The tantrum will soon cease without an audience and everyone will be friends again. Until you make lunch on the wrong coloured plate or you can't sing along to their freshly made up song because you don't know the words.
I'm sure if nanny 911 read this she would probably put me on the naughty step.
The other issue I have with the naughty step is that it's unreliable. It's never bloody there when I need it.
Tantrum in a shop? Where the fuck's the naughty step at?!

Today, Olivia is spending alot of time on the naughty step. However, she hasn't actually been naughty.
Apparently, her imaginary friend Fiona lives on the stairs and Olivia is visiting her and having the time of her life on the naughty step. So if Olivia decides to play up today I'm fucked.

I guess it boils down to the fact that some people have natural patience and some people don't (me, for example) and some people are lucky enough to have placid children who hardly ever see the naughty step.
I'm definitely not unlucky though. I adore Olivia's fire and attitude (most of the time).  I hope that one day it will mould her into someone with the ability to make big changes.
Although she can be unruly and frustrating at times,  Olivia has the biggest heart that I have ever had the pleasure of being touched by.

I am not, in any way, preaching that we should not discipline our children. I believe in balance.
Enough discipline that your child grows to learn right from wrong, but no so much that their fire is put out.
Sometimes I think we spend so much times obsessing over how to produce a perfect child that we don't stop to think about what kind of adult it will result in.
 I want our future generations to question what they are being told to do and stand up if they believe it is wrong, not fall in line and keep quiet just because they're told to.

Raise leaders, not followers.

Kelsey x