CallaFirestormBW -> RE: Is it right for daughters (1/3/2010 1:26:27 PM)
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quote:
I'm generally of the opinion that if you aren't teaching your children how to be independent and stand on their own two feet without assistance from anyone, you're doing it wrong. Yeah, that's right, I -- a childless person -- am telling y'all how to raise your kids. Anyone seriously want to argue the point? Having actually -raised- four children (two of each gender) happily to adulthood, I will be glad to debate the point with you. I have one offspring who was, and is, a very dependent person. Xhe's never really been interested in being independent or striking out on hir own. Shortly after reaching maturity, xhe chose a companion and settled down. Hir companion handles most of the decisions, all of the money, and has even set the schedule for my offspring's completion of hir education, and, to me, knowing that offspring's nature, I believe that this is the -absolute- best thing for hir. Some of our family members disagree, of course, citing book-and-line about how -bad- it is for a youngster to be "dependent" on anyone... but I don't see it that way. I think that there are people who thrive on being dependent, and people who thrive on independence, and a whole lot of people for whom it is situational. As an experienced parent, I think that what should be taught is how to think for oneself (which, btw, is NOT the same as "standing on one's own feet"). I think that children should be taught to love who they are, and to accept and be comfortable with the essences of their own natures -- and that they should be guided by the parents into feeling comfortable about selecting situations that are amenable to allowing them to be themselves. Now, if anything happens with this child's companion where xhe is no longer healthy in that situation, xhe knows that xhe can come home and that I understand hir nature -- that I will guide hir enough to find a place where xhe's happy, and help hir to get hir feet under hir if everything falls apart. This provides hir with a safety net to allow hir to make the choices that feel right for hir in choosing the best things to suit hir nature. I am not going to try to turn a rabbit into a lion or bull -- I am going to cherish my rabbit for exactly what xhe is, and help hir find a place in the world that is well suited to rabbits... and for my lions and bulls (of which I have three), I will certainly encourage them to approach the world in the manner best suited to them. It may be scary or seem aggressive to others, but I cherish their natures as well, and while I may give them tips on fitting into society in healthy, productive ways, I would never consider forcing them to dumb themselves down or force themselves into a box just because it makes other people more comfortable. YMMV Calla
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