Mamamia’s Five Golden Rules series takes a pervy look into the lives of Australian families. From parents of toddlers to parents of teenagers, the series asks parents to share their golden parenting rules, including the rules for their kids, and their rules for just getting through the day.
This week, mother-of-two Jacqui shares her Five Golden Rules for parenting pre-teens.
My goal is to raise kids that no longer need me.
When my boys are adults, I want them to love me and visit me and call me five times a day, of course. But I also want them to have the skills and the mindset to carve their own path and contribute meaningfully to society and relationships.
I won’t be doing their laundry or delivering a week's worth of food when they’re 30. I’ll be singing karaoke with a cocktail in hand on a European cruise.
None of us really know if we’re getting this parenting business right but so far, my kids are decent human beings.
They’re kind, curious and moderately resourceful. It appears we’re not completely stuffing things up, but they’re only 8 and 10 so we’ve still got time. What works for us? Clear expectations and reasonable boundaries.
Here are just some of the rules I have laminated and stuck on our frequently raided fridge:
1. Thou shalt embrace multitasking.
My husband and I both run businesses from home. I’m a communications consultant and he co-founded a travel technology company during the pandemic (I know, brave).
That means we’re constantly multitasking – trying to fit virtual meetings in between school pickup and the kids’ extracurriculars while also finding time to cook, clean, exercise and see our friends more than twice a year. To-do lists, reliable internet and kids who get it are essential.