The War on "No" Is Child "Centered Parenting" producing a generation of brats?

Babble ^ | 11/30/07 | Kathryn J. Alexander

[qam1]

The article continues for 2 more pages in the link (too big to post it all)

[nmh]

GOOD post.

I hope parents here take the time to read it.

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.

[Philistone]

Children are born liberals. The role of parenting is one of civilizing them into conservatives.

[Slapshot68]

Great article...we do need to protect our children, but we don’t need to bubblewrap them.

[Cicero]

Want the short answer to the headline?

Yes.

[ClearCase_guy]

MA is making it illegal to swat your kid on the butt.

[freedomfiter2]

Children are born liberals. The role of parenting is one of civilizing them into conservatives.

If only this message would fit on a bumper sticker.

[Slapshot68]

“Most of us have been in social situations where we’ve observed, with incredulity, a parent bow to the extreme demands of a menacingly persistent child, inches from a tantrum — “Okay, but honey, that’s your last package of Twizzlers before breakfast.” Worse, many of us too often have been that parent.”

We’ve all been there. It’s so much easier to just give in, and I’ve been guilty of it occasionally but you have to find the energy and willpower to remain vigilant. It only helps them down the road and life and helps retain your own sanity for the long term. ;)

[OCCASparky]

Bottom line--we treat our kids as equals, not as parent-child, and wonder why they get upset when some put their foot down eventually.

I see it all too often.

[MrB]

Anyone who wants to raise their child correctly needs to read “Child Training Tips”.

[MrB]

Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Child-Training-Tips-Children-Young/dp/1579570003

[Hoodlum91]

Yes.

[ConservaTexan]

Children are born liberals. The role of parenting is one of civilizing them into conservatives.

The most insightful statement I have read in a while. If you give little hedonists everything they want they will grow into big hedonists.

[fredhead]

Or the book I’m currently studying, Dr. Dobson’s “The Strong Willed Child.”

[Think free or die]

Good article. We certainly see our share of over-indulged youngsters. One of the places we see it, ironically, is in our Boy Scout troop. The boys are, on the whole, a great bunch of young men. However, they seem to be overly wasteful and disrespectful of the troop resources. They are quick to throw away leftover food from camping trips which could be sent home with someone or used on another trip. We see far too many pieces of equipment broken with little concern over the cost of replacement, etc. etc. I see this as a reflection of our affluence and an upbringing in which many of these boys never experience scarcity.

I admit that our own sons have a great deal in the way of material possessions. It is hard to come up with ideas for Christmas or birthday gifts, because frankly, they have so much already. They don't have as much as their peers, however, and certainly far less in the form of consumer electronics, let alone expensive clothing. Thanks in good measure to my tough-as-nails husband, they hear "no" quite regularly. They help with yard work and house cleaning, which was a normal thing in households of our youth. In our community, this is now rare. Most of the yard work is done by "Manuel and Jose" and the housecleaning by "Juanita and Maria". Most local kids don't have a clue how to clean a toilet, change a cat box, set a mousetrap, use power tools, or start a push lawnmower. It's not good for them, and when times get tough, they'll have a steep learning curve.

[xcamel]

Dem-O-Brats.

[BreitbartSentMe]

Absolutely correct, I’m horrified at the parenting I see around me, and my daughter is as well. My husband and I consider it a badge of honor that our children often told us growing up that we were the ‘meanest parents ever!!’