A Pilgrim's Digression

I found this funny article at Slate that extols the virtues of the lazy parent, How to be an idle parent.  At first I thought it was a joke, but now I’m not so sure, and the author has even convinced me that maybe he’s right and parents shouldn’t feel guilty for sleeping late while their little ones have the run of the place.  Here’s a sample quote that I find both hilarious and true:

Children actually have an inbuilt self-protective sense that we destroy by over-cosseting. They become independent not so much by careful training but in part simply as a result of parental laziness. Last Sunday morning, Victoria and I lay in bed till half past 10 with hangovers. What a result! And the more often you do this, the better, because the children’s resourcefulness will improve, resulting in less nagging, less of that awful “Mum-eeeeeeeh” noise they make. They can play and they will play.  So lying in bed for as long as possible is not the act of an irresponsible parent. It is precisely the opposite: It is good to look after yourself, and it is good to teach the children to fend for themselves.

I say, absolutely right!  Let the kids fend for themselves for breakfast.  Let them learn to pour milk over cereal, and maybe while at it, they can make a pot of coffee for Mom and Dad.  Furthermore, the dog needs to go for a walk in the morning–by all means, the child knows where the leash is just as well as Dad.

I am so happy to find a general guide to parenting that, for once, I wholeheartedly endorse.  I only wish I’d found it sooner, when it would have made a difference.  My son is eight and mostly independent, in the mornings, so sleeping late is no longer much of an issue.  If only I’d discovered this philosophy of idleness when he was three, I could have been enjoying these long mornings in bed five years ago.