Survival...

I've definitely decided I wouldn't be as strict as my parents on back chatting/standing up for yourself.
I was never allowed to stand up for myself & still struggle with it. My kids will not be door mats.
They still need to show respect, but they're able to assert themselves.
There's a very fine line somedays, but I think we're doing ok.

And making sure they can talk to me. About anything at all. Something else I still can't do with my own mother.

Others might be of the oppinion that I'm a push over, or taking the 'friend' approach, but they can all bite me. IMO we're doing just fine. These people usually have less children & they're alot younger than mine too...