"Chicken Nugget Mom" - What I've Learned About Behaviors as a Mom and Teacher


I am not an expert in motherhood or in handling behaviors - but this is a set of ramblings of what I have learned being a teacher and as a new mom. 

 In my years of teaching I have seen many different parenting styles and the effects those styles have on the children. I have seen the the 5 year old who is still wearing a diaper and walking around with a paci in their mouth because Mom doesn't want to "hurt their feelings" and change things. I have heard SO many times "My kid only eats _____". Ugh.

 I made a silent vow to myself early on in motherhood that I would not be the "chicken nugget mom". As in, we go to Thanksgiving and bring our kids chicken nuggets to eat because "they won't eat anything else". 

 This may seem silly to you - but it is really not about the chicken nuggets. It's about the mindset of teaching our children to acclimate to their surroundings, be brave enough to try new things, and be grateful for what is on the plate in front of them. It is about not being afraid to be their parents - you can be their friends when they are grown ups. 

 Just the other night Phillip and I were tag-teaming to get Farryn to eat TWO bites of chicken and broccoli. She loves chicken and she loves broccoli, but now that she is in full on toddler mode - she is learning to assert herself and test the limits. 

 Was it frustrating sitting there with her while she screamed different foods she would rather have? Yes. Not the sweet family dinner you would want to be at. Did food get thrown? Yes. Did she have to sit in time out multiple times? Yes. Did she eventually eat what we asked her to? YES.


As a classroom teacher, my students have suffered from a lack of good parenting. They have had screens shoved in their faces as babysitters, eaten whatever snacks they can find, and have not had boundaries set. 

 The result?

 TIRED students. A lack of respect for authority. A sense that they deserve anything and everything. Throwing chairs when they get upset because they so desperately want attention. Yelling at others because they've been yelled at. 

 My biggest job as a kindergarten teacher is to get my students to trust me enough to respect me, know that I respect them, and get them to actually like coming to school. 

 Do I hold the line with my students? Yes. Do they still hug me and say they love me? Yes. 

 Kids crave boundaries, structure, and routine. Those boundaries, structure, and routine instill a sense of stability in them where they aren't frantically running around wondering what is about to happen. 

 Parents, please don't be chicken nugget parents. It will catch up with them and you, eventually. 

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