Too Soft?

[ChampDizzle]

Last year, my 10 year old won her school spelling bee but when she lost in the district, she just broke down. Well, she was in her school spelling bee again today and she was great! She was very respectful and did her daddy proud. It was down to her and another kid and she misspelled a word. She tried so hard to hold it but her face went into her hands and she started to cry. At that moment, my heart just broke. Although she did great, she didn't want to accept being 2nd. I felt so helpless while she was on stage. Toughest part of being a parent is watching your child get hurt. I love my girls so much that it just pains me to see them ever hurt. Me and her mother had a disagreement. She says I baby them too much. I know they are growing up and I will have to start putting my foot down, but they are 10 and 7 and still my "little girls". Am I being too soft?

[The_Niddler]

I dont have kids yet, but I know how my parents raised my sister and I.
I say enjoy it while you can cause they grow up so fast!

Just don't let them walk all over you or the teenage years can be hell.
But I think you have plenty of time to put your foot down.

[Nole4real]

nah, i think the best environment to raise kids is when one parent is more of the "hard-ass" and one "babies" them if you will for lack of a better word. as long as its balanced and both arent either they'll grow up well adjusted. cant by any means spoil them but they are kids and need to see unconditional support especially in times where they c0ontrol their emotions like the one you mentioned.

it's not a "big deal" to your baby momma but to your little girl, not winning that thing meant the world.

perfect time for some extra pampering.

i also think since i have 2 girls also, the mom should be the "harder" of the parents and the dad should be the pamperer if possible.

not to go all freudian but if they know you love and support them that much they are waaay less likely to go looking for love/approval in the wrong guys later

just my opinions though

[ChampDizzle]

nah, i think the best environment to raise kids is when one parent is more of the "hard-ass" and one "babies" them if you will for lack of a better word. as long as its balanced and both arent either they'll grow up well adjusted. cant by any means spoil them but they are kids and need to see unconditional support especially in times where they c0ontrol their emotions like the one you mentioned.

it's not a "big deal" to your baby momma but to your little girl, not winning that thing meant the world.

perfect time for some extra pampering.

i also think since i have 2 girls also, the mom should be the "harder" of the parents and the dad should be the pamperer if possible.

not to go all freudian but if they know you love and support them that much they are waaay less likely to go looking for love/approval in the wrong guys later

just my opinions though

I think it is natural for fathers to baby their daughters anyway. Their mother is the disciplinarian for sure. Now if I had sons and did the same thing than my man card would have to be revoked.

[Nole4real]

true

if i had boys i'd defintely be more "tough" on them fair or not

[vicktim7]

this is all true. in the spelling bee situation, it might not have been the losing so much as just being on stage like that and getting something wrong. i can remember being in the spelling bee in 5th grade. breezed through my school bee and went on to the county bee. they did a practice rounds, and some of them were missing those words. then i get my first word, "boorish." seriously, i had never heard this word in my life. i asked for the definition, and it was behaving like a boar. so naturally, i say "boarish." WRONG! i got all choked up, and it was all i could do not to cry right there in front of everyone. then i sit and listen to the rest of the words and honestly wouldn't have misspelled a single one. boorish? you gotta be kidding me!

as was said, give her some pampering and use it as a teachable moment. when you have kids that excel in different things, sometimes it's not a bad thing for them to not succeed at something. it allows them to learn valuable lessons that will help them as they get older.