I have read many articles on this over the last few years and I have an idea why...I think we all want something better but are too afraid to bust our own butts to get it done. Well maybe not all of us but you know what I mean. A great article was posted some time ago over at http://www.parentingbookmark.com/pages/GO02.htm dealing with this subject and I have to say that I agree with nearly everything the writer says. I mean come one why can't we just let kids be kids? Why do we have to force travel baseball, cheerleading, gymnastics, basketball, tennis, swimming, golf, football, lacrosse, etc... down their throats. I think many of us turned out pretty well playing multiple sports all the way through high school and only playing one in college albeit on a scholarship.
Who says that our kids need to be the next Peyton Manning, Dominique Dawes, Mary Lou Retton, Andy Roddick and so on? We as parents need to GROW THE _ _ _ _ UP and let them be the kids. Quit trying to live vicariously through them but live with them. I mean I think our parents did a pretty good job of teaching, guiding, coaching without being all up in our business unless we really screwed up. Even then we had to live with the consequences of our actions and make it right one way or the other. We were punished when we messed up and some times I look back and realize that if they had let me get away with things then I would not be writing this at my home but rather from a 10x7 cell or from a trailer in central Alabama with who knows how many kids and a wife that I would rather leave than look at for one more day...but that is a whole other rant.
So parents let your kids PLAY! They don't want to play baseball 6+ months a year or any other sport; sometimes they just need a break! I know I learned the hard way with my oldest!
Rant Off!
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You know....being a parent, well it is easy to see how this could happen. How it could be tempting to try to mold your child and live your life through them. Or even try to keep them from making mistakes you can see coming. Sure - I'll give the mass public that.
ReplyDeleteBut here is what people need to know. Kids are real people. They are going to have their own personalities and likes. They also need to make their own mistakes while they are children (think 18 year old instead of 29 year old). So parents cannot hover. All you can do is help guide and teach the children to 'think'. And even with that they may not 'think' the same way you do so you need to be smart enough to recognize where the lines are drawn.
No one said being a parent would be easy but I think some people are so f-ing selfish and stupid that they can't stop themselves from screwing it up!