Great to see you again!! Y'all don't forget to fan me on Facebook, and subscribe to my Examiner articles!

Over the years, I’ve been given lots of advice.

TONS.

More advice than I used.  More advice than I wanted to use.  It seems that when you have any sort of problem, people jump out of the woodwork to make you feel totally crappy about yourself help you.

Like the time in college when a random guy told me that the reason I didn’t have a date was because I was desperate (I barely knew him, so how would he know anyway?).  But that is neither here nor there.

Yesterday, I read this blog post by Aunt Ruthie of Sugar Pie Farmhouse.  It falls under the “advice” category.  More specifically, under the “advice I will use” category.  Probably because every time I read her posts I want to grab a slice of pie and some iced tea and sit on my front porch (funny, considering my “front porch” is more like a “front stoop” that a chair won’t fit on).  And say “how are y’all this mornin’” to my neighbors (that I have never talked to).  (Plus, I don’t normally eat pie in the mornings.)

This whippersnapper is ready for some old-fashioned goodness.  And maybe some pie.  (Again, I realize that is neither here nor there.)

On a more serious note, I do think a lot of what she is saying makes sense.  I also think it is great advice to teach our children the morals and values we would like everyone in the world to have.  I think the world would be a much more pleasant place if everyone taught their children the Golden Rule. (Heck, a lot of people could stand to learn the Golden Rule themselves. Just sayin’.)  And…my kid definitely needs to learn the Ten Commandments.

Why, you ask?

She lied to us last week.  She told us a bold faced lie four times (!!!) straight to our face before she finally told us the truth.  And the worst part is, she doesn’t understand why lying is bad!  Every time I have talked to her about it since last week, she has said something to the effect of “but Mom, it’s really not that big of a deal.” Excuse me?  Yes, honey, it really IS a big deal.  If you are lying at 6, imagine the tales you’ll spin at 16…(oh, I feel a migraine coming on…) That right there, broke two commandments at least.  And yesterday, I heard her say “OH. MY. GOD.”  Not gosh, not golly, but God.  Really.  I immediately corrected her and she did not understand why that is not something we (as Christians) are supposed to say.  Wow.  Have I taught her nothing?  (I know we have talked about that before.  A lot.  And I don’t say that…though I do not speak for everyone in her life, so maybe she has heard that saying elsewhere.)

So, to cut this story short, we are going to inject a big ole heapin’ helpin’ of down home, old-fashioned goodness into these kids.  Watch out, Waltons & Cleavers, here we come!  June, you are looking mighty lovely in those pearls.  Have you met my Dyson?  Why, yes, it can vacuum around corners!  And the suction is amazing.  …

For now, I must skidaddle!  I have a whole street worth of neighbors to greet (er…meet).

{This post was brought to you by Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.}