Parenting....it's not for idiots.

No, we are not pregnant. No we are not even thinking about kids......just yet. There. Phew. Hopefully, I can avoid some questions right off the bat. :)

I guess I have always been a people-watcher. In fact, my college roommate used to tease me because we would go eat, and she would find herself pretty much alone after about 5 minutes because I was so enthralled with watching all the loud, crazy, hunger-stricken college kids in the Piazza Dining Center.

But lately, I feel like I have witnessed some wacko parenting going on. Since I'm not a parent yet, I have to tread lightly on this subject--I know. But seriously, I see wacko parenting on TV (aka-Jon and Kate Plus 8), at the grocery store, the library, the movie theater, and especially the pool. I don't know what it is about some of these places, but I am horrified by what I see at times.

This blog will serve myself as a written reminder of things I WILL NOT DO as a future parent. Also, you faithful readers get to be the people that faithfully hold me accountable to not doing these things:

• I will not split up with my husband and claim that I am doing it for my kids. Nope. Will not. If I love my kids, I will love my husband--which I think is the best way to love my kids. Jon and Kate, you make me so frustrated, and I am sad for you both and your kids.

• I will not let my two-year old or younger play in the pool if I am not IN the pool. Honestly??? I didn't know that there were people who did that.....I've seen 2 moms do that in the last 2 days. I couldn't even read my book at the pool in peace for fear that I would need to catapult myself out of my seat at any moment and save the life of a toddler. Uff da.

• I will not give my baby--yes, you heard me right, an infant--soda out of the straw to quiet him/her down at the movie theater. First of all, MK and I probably won't bring our infant to a loud, dark movie theater and expect them to sit quietly through the movie. But I sure won't give them a swig of my Mountain Dew either to quiet them down. Pathetic. Wow.
  

• I won't smoke cigarettes and text on my cell phone while my toddler is being watched by his four-year-old sister in the 3-feet deep water. HELLO!!?!??!
  

So, that's the list of crazy things I have seen in the last few weeks. Again, I remind you all that I know I am not a parent yet, and I know it will probably be the hardest thing I will ever do. I know I don't know everything or what it's like to be a mom. I guess I would just say that that's why we're waiting until we're ready....so that we're mature enough to know not to bring your baby to the movie, much less give it soda; allow our kids to play in the pool without supervision; and most of all, we're going to become parents that stay together not for our kids but because we love each other and know that that's the best way that we can love our kids.

Thus endeth my rant.
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PS-I know that someday down the road, I will make mistakes as a parent, so I just apologize ahead of time. I didn't write this to sound self-righteous or to get on my high horse. People do the best they can with what they know and have, so I'm not condeming. I just want to remember these things for the day when I'm a parent. I know I'll make mistakes, but I'm going to avoid some of these obvious parenting mishaps because from what I've seen lately, parenting is not for idiots.