[DianaB]

I have 4 children, 3 grown (2 married and 1 in college) and a 14 year old. I was very strict with my first 2 children. I was very young and impatient, but I expected my children to mind me and obey rules. I didn't want people to dread having my family around because of my children. I knew families that were talked badly about because their children were so difficult to be around and I didn't want that to be my family. When I said no, I meant no. It didn't matter if you cried and threw a fit, I still meant no (and you might get a spanking for having the fit). I got a lot of compliments on my children, especially from check-out girls, because if they wanted candy at the check-out counter and I said no, then that was the end of it. No crying and no fits.

My next child came along and was a "I always want to do everything right child" and I hardly ever had to get on to her, plus she was warned by the first 2 to "watch out for Mom, she's a killer!!" Now I have my 14 year old daughter and, again, she's a "I want to do everything right child" too. She never talks back and is one of the most polite kids that I have ever seen. I can't say enough wonderful things about her.

Our family is a Christian family. We go to church every Sunday and are involved in everything that is going on there. We believe in the Bible and live our lives according to what is written there. I firmly believe that's why I have such a wonderful family. I wish everyone could have a family like ours. When my kids were teenagers they weren't partiers, no drugs, no alcohol, no bad language, no sassing. Just good kids having a good clean fun.

I think that you get out of kids what you put into them. If you put a lot of time into your kids and mentor them as they grow, you'll end up with great kids. I wanted my kids to be people that I enjoyed being with, not kids that I was ready to get away from. Keeping communication open with them is important. I am a sahm and every day when my daughter comes home from school I ask about her day and we sit in the kitchen and chat about what went on at school, with her teachers and her friends.

Now I am seeing the results of raising my kids. They have turned out to be hard working, great family people who love and cherish their own kids. They don't drink, smoke, do drugs, cuss, or have any other bad habits. They're people you would be glad to know and be friends with. Was it worth all the hard work of raising them and making them mind me?? YES, YES, YES!!!