Growing up I knew that I had always been the perfect child. I would look through my scrapbook at all of the pictures of me smiling for the camera, being cute, blowing out candles, giving kisses and always with perfectly clean clothes and curled and primped hair. My parents couldn't have told me I wasn't perfect, there was just no proof.
Well, now that I'm a parent I realize that we only take pictures when our kids are being adorable and I wonder, Why is that? Are we encouraging selective memory? Sure, we want to remember the fun, happy times. But I also want my kids to know they weren't always perfect and that they owe me big time for not shipping them off to live with monkeys.
Why not take pictures when the kids are fighting, writing on the wall, flushing keys down the toilet or sticking pennies in our car CD player (really happened)? Let's not forget: chucking rocks at the neighbor kids, sticking peas up their nose, managing to get their diaper off and peeing on the floor or waking me up at 3 am to watch TV. Why not cherish the memory of your child on the floor throwing a tantrum in the store/restaurant/church (all of the above)?
That way, when they come to me at 16, and want to know why I won't give them $70, haven't bought them a car yet or still make them do chores, I can pull out my photo album and they will thank me for keeping them and loving them still.
Our kids should know how much we love them, but it can't hurt to let them in on what a pain in the ass they were sometimes as well. (sorry mom, I'm getting the soap right now)
