by Renda Ashley

Created on: September 08, 2008

"Well, what I would do, is sit down and calmly explain to your child that Mommy is not willing to accept that kind of behavior'" I said to the caller on the air.

I was hosting a call-in talk show on relationships, and this month I was expertly dishing out advice on children. (So what if my only child at the time was 14 months old?)
Day after day, people tuned in to hear my pearls of wisdom.

"Just set boundaries and be consistent with your children" I said confidently to one caller.

After an hour of telling others how to handle their youngsters, I took the headsets off and drove home to my own little bundle of joywho was now walking. Well, he was actually running. He was full of curiosity and getting into everything. I used to strut into the radio studio full of energy, but now it was all I could do to drag myself to the studio. All this running, climbing, and crawling around was leaving me completely exhausted. Who needs the gym with all of this exercise? Chasing my toddler made an hour of aerobics seem like a day at the beach.

It might have helped if he would sleep. Didn't I mention something about boundaries or something equally impossible on my show the other day? I didn't know. I was too tired to remember. But, my son and I did have some wonderful times together. At night we cuddled together and read Bible stories for bedtime. Then he got his second wind.

"Cherish this time together" other people told me.

"You mean if I live through it and can actually remember it?" I wanted to say.
.
But, I forged ahead. I was not a quitter. I continued to give my loyal listeners advice.

"There is no excuse for your child running around loose in a store. Before you even go inside they should know the rules, No touching the merchandise and they should stay with you at all times. No Excuses!" I expounded to a caller one day.

I was getting restless at home with my precious little guy and decided we needed to do something different.

"I think we should go shopping," I announced to my toddler one day.

We excitedly dressed and hopped into the car. After buckling seat belts, and strapping into the car seat we were on our way. Walking into the local mall we headed for the department store. This was a great idea. This is exactly what I needed to help me unwind and relax.

"Oh, what a cute outfit, this is what my son needsHey, Ronnie, come here, Honey. Let's see if this will fit you."

"Ronnie? Where are you? Ronnie? You come back here right now! I KNOW YOU ARE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE! You better come back here right now, when I get my hands on you, you are gonna be in big trouble mister! I MEAN IT!

Looking under racks of clothes and in the middle of circular racks I was nearly frantic and continued my tirade about what would happen to him, quite loudly. A nice lady came walking towards me and said,

"Oh! I recognize your voice! You're Annie! I love your show, I listen to you everyday. Let me help you find your son."
And so she did. We found my son. A little red in the face I thanked her profusely.

"No, problem at all," she said. As she turned to walk away, she said "By, the way, would you like a copy of the tape you made on 'Setting Boundaries'"?
Digging through her bag she said, "I also have the one on The Rules Before Entering the Store.'"

The next day, I informed my boss that I thought I needed an easier topic...like, "What to do if you find yourself in a hostage situation."

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