Mom A or Mom B?

My neighbor's kids are outside playing in the pouring rain right now. Weather.com tells me it's 63 degrees outside, they have on shorts and t-shirts. The other day the temps were in the upper 50s and the boys were playing outside with no shirts on.

I'm kind of amazed by it, if you can't tell. This stuff would have NEVER happened in my house growing up. If you wanted to play in the rain in 60 degree weather you'd better have a jacket on, and rain boots, and an umbrella. Otherwise you'd end up sick. If Jon wanted to run around shirtless, it better be in the 80s...at least.

When the ice was still caked thickly to every tree branch around the boys next door were allowed to go explore the woods by our homes. Jon was told to stay out. Limbs were cracking and popping and audibly falling to the ground, so why take the risk of getting yourself knocked out? Am I right?

I guess what I'm getting at here is that I'm constantly in awe of how different the parenting styles are of people. I wonder what kind of parent I'll be when faced with the decision. Will I be the jacket and umbrella Mom? Or the who gives a crap, run around naked in the freezing cold if you want Mom?

Truthfully I think I have an inkling as to which will probably prevail. You see, my parents instilled this innate sense in me that A-behavior begets B-result. And I wouldn't want my babies to end up with hypothermia.

But in the meantime I'll just sit here, hoping that Mom B over there has those boys some hot chocolate ready. ;)

(Disclaimer: I'm not saying either way of parenting is right or wrong, just musing on my upbringing versus that other style.)