Subversive Parenting

I don't mean to be one of those parents. I really don't.

You know the kind: the "your rules don't apply to my kid" parent.

The parent that's always questioning. Why?

Why?

And, dear goddess help me, the "if they have a problem with that, they can call me" parent.

At the same time, though, I'm a firm believer that I, as the parent, should get to be the one deciding how certain things apply to my Monkeys.

Most of the time we don't really have issues. Mostly because we don't run into a lot of rules or restrictions that I really object to.

Every now and again, though, we butt up against something I have a problem with.

Sometimes unintentionally.

Like on Sunday, when we were at Rainbow Festival. We had managed to snag a great patio table at Head Hunters and were hanging out, chatting and watching the festival pass by in front of us.

MonkeyDo was telling us about how her school says they can't have temporary tattoos "that show". She thought that was weird, because how would you have one that didn't show? (*ahem*)

Then she went on and on about getting one on her face or her eyes and how weird that would be and what would they do then.

During the course of our stay at Head Hunters, she and I would periodically go wander around the festival. At one point, we stopped to check out a Mehndi artist. In a decision that can best be described as "beer was definitely involved", I decided that MonkeyDo and I should totally get some.








It literally wasn't until sometime Tuesday that it occurred to me that, probably, Mehndi would fall under that temporary tattoo ban. Because, really, it's kind of the same thing and probably objectionable to school administrators for the same reason (however lame some of us may think those reasons are).

Oops?

So far nothing's been said about it. Which works out great, because I'd totally show up in the principal's office to tell her I think it's a stupid rule and she can get over it. And it would probably be nice to get through her last year as smoothly as possible.

You know?

In related news, you may have read previous rantings about not being able to get MonkeyDo a full membership to our gym because she's under 12. After a (possibly beer related) tantrum on twitter about it, I was advised to contact my gym's general manager. I went in Tuesday night and spoke with an "Assistant Membership Manager", who talked to the general manager about it. The last I heard was that the general manager was waiting on word from corporate and I should be getting a call with the verdict.

Now I totally understand the why's and the wherefore's involved here. What I don't understand is why I can't sign a waiver stating that I'll be responsible for her and call it a day.

I mean.

I can sign a waiver and then leave her with virtual strangers who are going to put her in charge of a horse.

I can put her on a Junior Roller Derby team.

I can put her on an airplane.

I can put her on a bicycle.

I can sign her up for a race.

I can put her on a football/soccer/basketball/baseball team.

But I can't sign a waiver and take her to the yoga class at my gym?

That seems a little ridiculous.

Sure, I could do what everyone else has done and lie about her age, but I don't want to teach her that lying is the correct resolution to this issue.

Right now I'm waiting to get a phone call and I'm hoping their answer is yes. Because I'm not sure what the next step will be if it's not.