Teaching your kids not to curse is just one of those things good parents are expected to do. Like teaching them not to punch other kids on the playground or steal a pack of gum from the store or lie about whether or not they did their homework. Naturally, teaching your kids not to curse includes not cursing in front of your kids. What with the example-setting and all. Except, here's the thing: Punching and stealing and lying are behaviors we consider "wrong" for valid reasons, most of them involving someone getting hurt on some level or another (sometimes, themselves). Why is swearing "wrong," exactly? Because it's "not nice," some would say. Or "because I said so" or "because some people might get offended." None of these reasons carry any real weight, in my opinion, and I personally refuse to waste time and effort instilling values in my kids that I don't even believe in.

So yes, I swear in front of my kids. And here are the reasons why.

When my kid was itty bitty, I used to dream about the elementary school days. I reasoned I'd be able to say "use your words," and she would, and it would all be hunky dory. No more trying to figure out why a screaming infant is all upset with Mom. Big kids can help you solve their problems!

Go ahead. Laugh. I deserved it. Here I am with a 7-year-old and have finally realized that being able to talk just means your kids' outbursts are that much weirder. If anything, knowing why I'm the "WORST MOTHER EVER" just makes me scratch my head. Come on, I can't be the only one dealing with a little angel who quite suddenly runs into the bedroom and slams the door because, OMG, Mom, you DID IT!

It's true, I'm the worst mother in the whole wide world. Behold the evidence:

I am one of those moms who doesn't take a hard line when it comes to spanking. It's not how I would ever choose to discipline my own 4-year-old, but I've tried to see both sides of the debate. I have always thought it was a personal choice for each parent and family. That said, I don't think parents should spank their kids in public, especially if they don't want strangers to get involved.

Recent research suggests that women who have been abused as children were more likely to have a child diagnosed with autism. The women who endured the most stress from physical and emotional abuse were 60 percent more likely to have a child on the spectrum. Those who were abused physically, emotionally, and sexually had a 3.5 times higher rate of having a child with autism.

Everything that we do and everything that happens to us does have an effect not only on us but our children. And how we treat our own children, and what types of discipline we choose, may effect not only our kids but our grandchildren. Which is very frightening.

Toddlers can be difficult to control in stores -- we all know this, right? All hands and curiosity and accidents. Moms have come to expect disapproving stares and maybe even requests to leave the store. But a spanking? Angela Cropley was horrified when a store clerk smacked her three-year-old on the bottom. The girl had knocked a bottle off a shelf. Angela, who was also with an eight-month-old baby started cleaning up the mess right away, but the clerk swatted her daughter and told her she was being naughty.

The poor mom was so horrified (and probably also embarrassed) she just stormed out of the store. Frankly, I'm amazed she didn't stay and throw a tantrum herself. But later friends urged Angela to return to the store and complain.

In a perfect world, anyone who worked with kids would be caring, patient, and kind. Well, that is just not the world we live in. Case in point -- the video released by ESPN showing Rutger's University Basketball coach Mike Rice physically and verbally abusing players. It's upsetting, to be sure. There are aspects of Rice's behavior that are completely unacceptable, namely the gay slurs and manhandling the players. He clearly needs both sensitivity training and anger management classes. But as dismaying as it appears, I have to wonder if some of Rice's tough love tactics are helpful to certain players. Is he just trying to toughen them up? If so, is that such a terrible thing?

Sure we see stories of teachers who abuse children, or use questionable means of discipline in the classroom (duct tape seems to be a recurring theme), but most of them are pretty amazing.

Every day they are entrusted to care for and teach our kids. After a few hours alone with my own two children, I find it mindboggling that they can handle 20 or more for an entire day. Not only that, they have to deal with their parents too -- which sometimes may be even more challenging.

I'm sure there are many types of annoying parents they deal with (I wonder which I might be?) but among the worst have to be the finger pointers. You know, those who blame anyone and everyone besides themselves when something goes wrong. Here are seven things parents like to blame on teachers when -- in most cases -- they really should be blaming themselves.

Everyone knows that tweens and teens need their sleep. It's during that age span where the most growth, and resting from growth, happens while getting some shut eye, and it's been a problem school officials have been dealing with for decades. Should classes start later? Should there be less homework so teens can get some sleep?

The simple act of dozing in bed is actually one of the most important things a growing child will do all day, so when I heard that some parents were waking their teens up in the middle of the night to complete chores they'd promise to get done, but didn't, I had mixed feelings.