Topic : Your Parenting Style

Okay, I have 5 kids that I am raising with my husband, 3 are not biologically mine but they live with us daily.  My husband and I recently moved closer to his family and ever since his family ie(mother and sister) will not stop telling us how to raise our children.  The issue is I do not provide my children with sweet food ie(candy, ice cream, etc) daily.  They get these items maybe once or twice a week.  His family feels that we should have a cabinet or drawer full of candy for the children to get atleast once a day.  Are we doing something wrong not allowing the children to eat sweets all the time?

We desperately need some advice in a recent matter.

We got a climber/slide for our 20 month old son, and put it in our small front yard, that is sorrounded with fence. The neighbor's son, who is 3 years old, came to the fence, looking very interested in the slide. His mom followed him, and finally both of them were standing in front of the house, outside the gate. I felt that they wanted to get in. I went through agony, standing in my yard, and did not invite them in. I tell you why (and my reasons do not justify why I didn't do it, only I tell them as facts).

I am not American. I have been here for only a few years.
I don't know the neighbors very well , and what I know about that family is not very good.

I wouldn't want them to get used to coming here anytime they want, and don't want to get involved in their troubles. I generally prefer to keep a certain distance from people .

At the same time I feel REALLY bad, because of the child. He is only a child. He cannot help who his parents are. He just wants to play.

(The mother wanted to get a slide for her son, after she saw ours, I even helped him somehow, but she didn't use my help).

Now I feel that the mother is hurt and angry with me (partly I can understand, I am a mother too), it seems to me that they don't want to come outside when we are in the yard, and when we see each other I feel a very bad vibe. Do I feel this becuase of my guilty conscience?

What should we do next time this happens (they are standing at the gate)?

We wish we knew what Dr. Phil would say about this.

I was a teneger mother. I had my daughter when I was 17 yrs old. I raised my kids with there father but we didn't live together. We have a good understanding with each other and his wife. I think my kids have three parents,but we have a little of diffrent rules in some levels. When it gets hard we call each other explained what happends and then we decided what to do,but I dont think it has work for us.  

its not bad..the more you dont want him to have one..the more he will....I know..I have a nephew that was that way....and he really loves them..and its kind of weird because he is sneaky about it and he gets his grandparents to buy it and he hides it...thats not good..

me on the other hand..I buy toy guns all the time..i even have brought paint ball guns...just show them the fun in guns..not just that its bad..you never know......My kids are very good kids straight A and all.....they could care less about their toys any more...just keep showing diferrent things with out making it a big deal.....they will move on..