One of the things that I strictly want to avoid in this adventure is the Crazy. With a capital C. In my estimation, lots and lots of American parents overthink the whole thing. They worry and listen to half-truths without really considering what is really important. I don't want to be one of those people, so I have been doing some research. And I've been reaching out to the things that I trust. To wit:
Freakonomics Radio - The Economist's Guide to Parenting
The question of the show is, "do parents really matter?" When it all shakes out, how does obsessive parenting really affect a child's ultimate earning power, education, etc.? There are other issues, but the punchline is, "not all that much." Obsessive parenting just doesn't do much for a kid's development. Give it a listen. It's good stuff. It's especially funny to hear the economists talk about all the dumb helicopter parenting shit they do, then say, "Yeah, that doesn't really matter all that much, and I'm happier when I don't do it."
I own the _What to Expect_ series, but to be honest, I haven't opened any of those books since before my oldest was born. I occasionally consult Babycenter.com, but a lot of my parenting has been by instinct. My mother was overprotective with me which I believe adversely affected my childhood, so I will try to give my kids a balance of guidance and freedom. -Marlene
ReplyDeleteIt seems like, from what I've read of yours on FB, that you have a pretty good thing going with your boys. Keep up the good work.
DeleteAs for me, you probably remember that I came from a pretty loose household, and I don't have a lot of self discipline myself. However, my goal with any child I have or interact with is to give them the tools to learn and make their own decisions, preferably the smart and logical ones. When it comes to protection, most of what I'll offer is bodily protection. The mind and personality, well, they've got to build that up themselves.