My sister and I caused both of you trouble, my sister a little more so than me, but all in all, we were good kids. We were taught rules like:

• If you weren’t happy with what was made for dinner, you were more than welcome to make something for yourself, BUT be sure you still eat at the dinner table with the family
• When leaving the house or apartment, be sure to let someone know where you are going and who you are going with. Approximate time of your return was also appreciated
• Be sure to let your friends know they will be questioned or forced to play a card game when first meeting my parents. Dates and boyfriends were primarily subjected to the card games with mom, which I later learned, terrified them
• BE RESPECTFUL: To all. We don’t know a person’s story, how their day has been, what mood they are in, or if they are just hateful assholes. Give it time before you decide about people.
• THERE ARE HATEFUL ASSHOLES OUT THERE: For every person who spoke louder and slower to mom because she was in a wheelchair, she never lost her temper. She would make a smart-ass remark back that inevitably went over the person’s head, but mom remained in charge.

All in all, Amy and I did out best to abide by the above rules, and the others that aren’t listed. I have the utmost respect for both of my parents, even when dad drives me crazy (mom passed years ago, so she doesn’t really try my patience anymore).

With all that being said, I have to talk about something I see/hear on a regular basis. My dad, nephew, and I live in what I always considered to be a nice neighborhood, but, when you get woken at some seriously ungodly hour of the morning by screaming neighbors, and it interrupts my sleep, we are going to have a problem.

When a child under 10, you know, strike that. When any child can look at a parent and call them an asshole or bitch, the child needs attending to. He needs help. When that same child is on the roof or when he is trying to stuff one of his friends in a trash bin, there appears to be an indicator that somewhere that child got lost and needs helped to be found again.

The kid is evil and has started controversy between at least three households now. The father, whom I do have a soft spot for, works hard all day, but comes home, gets drunk and either falls asleep or starts shit with his girlfriend. The girlfriend spends her entire day, please know this this is not an exaggeration, with her head down in her phone. I don’t know what she does all day, but when the boyfriend comes home, she wants to go have drinks with her friends. What??

I could go on and on about pure negligence on both sides, but this is enough to prove my point and ask a question: Are kids getting away with too much today? When is it okay to have outsiders intervene?

I’m thrilled that I was raised by not only my parents, but my friends’ parents also. If I did something bad, I would have lectures from Miss Sandra, Miss Patti, Miss Anette, and Miss Kathy before I got to my mom. Was it a pain in the ass? I thought so at the time. Now I wish desperately we could go back to a time that it was the norm.

Amy and I didn’t become serial killers or even bad people, so, my parents, you can be proud of that. But I would keep an eye on that neighbor kid…he’s likely to smother you in your sleep. ** This is your positive affirmation of the day **

Sincerely, Stacy