A New Adventure

Starting tomorrow my husband and I will embark on a new adventure. It's called "The Responsibility of Parents". As we understand it, by state and federal laws, it is our responsibility to provide our children with three things...Food, Clothing and Shelter. This will be our new mantra...providing them with the three things we, by law, are responsible for. What this won't include is the following:

• Cell phone
• House phone use
• Cable TV; or TV at all, for that matter
• Clothes that have labels, like Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Nike, Quicksilver...you get the picture
• Meals as a family
• Computer
• Skateboard
• Extra-curricular activities, like a high school football game
• Guitars
• Electricity for Video Games
• Batteries for CD players
• Ipod Docking Stations; Or Ipods at all, for that matter
• GPS Navigation Systems...Try a fold-up map. Since you can't use a computer for Mapquest. That'll work!
• A healthy and inviting brown-bag lunch
• Folded clothes, from the dryer.
• Fabric softener in your clothes during the dryer cycle
• Water bottles or Pur pitchers - Drink out of the hose outside.
• Axe body wash...use Ivory soap.
• Deodarant/Anti-persparant. Period. Just stink!
• A membership to a gym
• Gum
• Vitamin Water
• Music--CD's, Radio, CD Player
• Combs/brushes
• Contact Lenses...glasses worked for Benjamin Franklin!
• Pillows
• Ability to be in a band
• Rides to band practice
• Friends over for dinner
• Jewelry
• A Watch
• More than one pair of shoes
• Cologne/Body Spray...again, just stink!
• Cool/fancy Boxers...just wear Whitie-Tighties...they are cheap!
• Car Insurance
• Pizza delivery
• Birthday parties
• Sleepovers
• Braces
• Snacks, chicken tenders, visits to McDonalds, candy, Cheeze-its, Bagels w/ cream cheese (eat toast), V-8 fusion juice, chocolate milk, sweetened cereal, Hot Pockets, Burger King, Goodberry's, Breyer's Ice Cream, Totinos Pizza Rolls, provolone cheese...you get the picture
• No-show socks...tube socks worked for my brothers!
• Pets
• Transporation to jobs
• Anti-Acne medication
• Swimming pool membership
• Whitening systems for your teeth
• AIM
• e-mail
• Itunes
• Haircuts at Sports Clips
• Backpacks purchased ANYWHERE but Wal-Mart
• Trapper-Keepers
• Kleenex for runny noses...I used toilet paper...and it wasn't Charmin.
• Lockers (which now cost money at the high school)
• School spirit-wear

Well, as you can see, I could go on forever. I'd appreciate your input and I'll happily add to this list, but I'm getting tired. It's been a difficult "parent" day...as most are. I know I'm being harsh, but those who say the "empty nest syndrome" is the most awful thing ever...well, what can I say? I'll believe it when I see it. Right now, it sounds like pure heaven!