My drug problem

[Wag]

I was raised with all of those "drugs" and in the process, I was savagely abused by both my parents, physically, mentally and emotionally.  And I turned out okay.  Does that mean their parenting was good?  Effective, even?  Hardly.  They were terrorists and bullies.  I came close to the edge of becoming a bully too because of the example of my old man.  Ultimately, I became a simpering wuss.  Took a while to get past that.

No, parenting is a responsibility which all too few take seriously.  If you're not one of these, you know who I'm talking about and if you are, wake the hell up.  

I should point out one thing, however:  I ain't got kids, m'self.  Does that disqualify me from talking about it?  Hardly.  There are some details I don't know of when it comes to the day-to-day raising of kids but there was a time when I were a kid and I remember it well enough.

Having said that, I also realize that many parents are a lot better than mine were and many are worse.  The point is, they did what they thought was right.  Problem was, they thought they were right and they were never willing to learn anything new.

Regardless, parenting has to be taken seriously.  Sure, it can be fun, I imagine.  But people have kids all the time without considering the costs, not just the money cost, either.  What happens when you can't be at the kid's dance recitals?  What is the cost to the devastated young psyche?  It's a cost I don't think any parent can pay but they go into debt for it all the time.

Eh.  There is no perfect way to raise a child.  Regardless, it is no free ride, though it often gets treated as such.

I've written about this and other similar topics on my blog before.

I'll get off my soapbox now . . . .

--Wag--

 

[BusaWizard]

Good one

 

[displacedone]

I can not comment on Parenting as I do not yet have any children but I can say that I was raised with a firm hand. Soap and the like included. The rules were strict, the punishments decisive. I will not call it abuse. I suffered no physical or emotional scars from the way I was raised. My parents were attentive and tried their best to be involved with all aspects of my life. I could not say in good conscious that they were bad parents.
From this upbringing I learned about consequences............ That being said, I learned how to weigh risk vs. reward. This did not stop me from spending several years "experimenting". I did alot of stupid things and it finally cought up to me and it was costly. I escaped with no career hinderments. My decision to dabble in being a F&$# up was not the product of poor parenting.
I have to agree with RSD, the best parenting in the world will not ensure that your child will be the prodical child.
This is my opinion only and there is no science behind it......just my life.

 

[FloydV]

I was raised with a firm hand too -- the kind that is balled into a fist and knocks you down anytime it pleases. I'm like Wag, I don't have kids either. I think that is because I realized what a huge responsibility it is and chose not to take up the burden.

If I had kids they wouldn't be beaten though, and they wouldn't be criticized for every perceived failure. I believe that children are like clay. Whatever they turn out to be, they are what their parents made.