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ngdawg · 04-23-2006, 07:31 PM

My strengths include acceptance, flexibility, humorI recognize that I also have weaknesses that I will try to minimize or overcome with help.

I believe my purpose in life is to show love
My hope for my family is contentment

My weaknesses, in no particular order are: second-guessing myself, quick to judge, severe procrastination and laziness, ie; ambitions.
I have seen too many parents push their kids in certain directions, be it their girls into dance class, sons into sports; they make unfounded decisions about what they can watch on tv or how they should wear their hair.
I have always felt that life is a series of choices and their resultant consequences. Not allowing our kids to make choices, even at very early ages, stunts their mental growth. From the time they've known their colors or how food tastes, I've presented choices-red shirt or the green one. Mac and cheese or bologna. It's their brains, after all, that need to be expanded-just seems logical to start there to me.
That's not to say we don't have rules-how to behave, curfews, etc. But I've always been flexible. If there's no real reason to say no to a request, I don't. My parents were of the 'I said no because I can say no if I want to' thought-many of their declinations of my requests, like going to a concert with friends or staying out a little later on a summer night, had no reason. Hence, I snuck around a lot. Got caught a few times, but that didn't stop me from trying again.
Kids are going to push buttons, they're going to test limits. They will question every decision, fight them and maybe even get sneaky. So far, my daughter tried a few lame things, son hasn't at all. But, after a grounding and some discussion, she knows I am there for her and that her actions don't diminish my love and respect.
In the sea of adolescent creatures, my kids are pretty cool and pretty unique. I used to say I got lucky having them as they are. Too many have pointed out luck had nothing to do with it. I tend to agree now.

04-23-2006, 07:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	My strengths include acceptance, flexibility, humorI recognize that I also have weaknesses that I will try to minimize or overcome with help. I believe my purpose in life is to show love My hope for my family is contentment My weaknesses, in no particular order are: second-guessing myself, quick to judge, severe procrastination and laziness, ie; ambitions. I have seen too many parents push their kids in certain directions, be it their girls into dance class, sons into sports; they make unfounded decisions about what they can watch on tv or how they should wear their hair. I have always felt that life is a series of choices and their resultant consequences. Not allowing our kids to make choices, even at very early ages, stunts their mental growth. From the time they've known their colors or how food tastes, I've presented choices-red shirt or the green one. Mac and cheese or bologna. It's their brains, after all, that need to be expanded-just seems logical to start there to me. That's not to say we don't have rules-how to behave, curfews, etc. But I've always been flexible. If there's no real reason to say no to a request, I don't. My parents were of the 'I said no because I can say no if I want to' thought-many of their declinations of my requests, like going to a concert with friends or staying out a little later on a summer night, had no reason. Hence, I snuck around a lot. Got caught a few times, but that didn't stop me from trying again. Kids are going to push buttons, they're going to test limits. They will question every decision, fight them and maybe even get sneaky. So far, my daughter tried a few lame things, son hasn't at all. But, after a grounding and some discussion, she knows I am there for her and that her actions don't diminish my love and respect. In the sea of adolescent creatures, my kids are pretty cool and pretty unique. I used to say I got lucky having them as they are. Too many have pointed out luck had nothing to do with it. I tend to agree now. __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.