Am I really that overbearing? As I was heading out the door this morning I wished my 4 year-old good luck at his dentist appointment. He then said, “What color do you want me to get?” Huh? “What color of what bud?” He then replies, “What color toothbrush do you want me to get?” I didn’t realize the choice was mine. Is he seriously asking me what color I want him to get? When I told him he could pick whatever color he wanted he smiled a big smile and did a little fist-pump. Seriously? Did he really think that I was going to dictate what color toothbrush he had to get? That’s kind of sad. Am I really that overbearing of a mother? Why would he think he had to ask me? So now I am sitting here pondering whether or not I’m too overbearing.

Okay, yeah, I’m the mom that will stand behind her kids at a cookout and make sure they’re eating. I’m that mom that refuses to let her kids have gum and soda even though the other kids are having it. I often do say “That book again?” in hopes that they will reconsider their choice of bedtime story. But I do let them make their own choices. If he wants to wear shorts, camouflage rain-boots, a Spiderman T-shirt and a Yankees hat to the store I don’t have a problem with it. Heck, he’s even gone out in feety-pajamas and Spiderman boots. I don’t coddle them. I swear I don’t. When they were all learning to walk I didn’t hover over them. I let them fall back on their bottoms and didn’t panic. Why on earth would he think he had to ask what color toothbrush he had to get? I don’t want them feel that I’m domineering. Do you consider yourself a overbearing parent?

He chose blue…