I graduated from a parenting class today

I think it was very helpful

But I am a person who is easily stressed

I’m scared of what I’d be like as a parent

I learned alot of things

Like about when to give timeout

And how to praise children

But when it came to applying

It to helping raise my nieces

It seemed like everything went out the window

I’m not saying they’re bad

I just mean since I’ve never had children

Of my own

I feel kind of nervous

I’d love to praise them

But my niece is five

She loves to get into things

Overall though

She’s a pretty good kid

She’s bright and friendly

Plus she loves school

And her older sister

Is twelve

So she’s at the point where

She thinks she can do anything

It’s rough for me since

I don’t know how to get her to mind me

She seems to do her own thing

It’s not to the point

Where I’m pulling my hair out

But the things I learned in class

Don’t work in practice

Especially when a child will throw things and yell

Or just go around breaking things

Like they have no respect for the house

Man, parenting is hard

I wonder if I ever have kids will they be like me

When they’re young

Quiet and never do anything

When I was young

I was always too scared to get in trouble

So I rarely ever did

My Mom didn’t

Have a tough time raising me

On the other hand

My brother was the complete opposite

Punishment never worked on him

And there were so many times when

I wished he wasn’t so disobedient

Because it made it hard for me to live with him

And because he never straightened out

He ended up in prison

It’s important for children to have discipline

You have to be able to follow the rules

And go to school

But when you don’t listen

You can’t grow up thinking

That being destructive or violent

Will result in you getting your way

But there are kids out there who do

What does it take

To learn to be the right way

Patrika Williamson