Are you "Anxious Parents"?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Are you "Anxious Parents"?
1765
Wed, 11-15-2006 - 8:24am

Today's MSN News features this article

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-15-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 2:17pm

Yep.

I used to have a friend who's son wasn't doing so well. Poorly in school, bad friends, getting into some trouble. The kid (David) was closer to me than his father. He used to tell me how he didn't care about doing well because it didn't matter; nothing was good enough for his dad. That his dad expected him to fail, so why try? I spent a long time trying to get him to see that he shouldn't do it for his dad; that he shouldn't get good grades becaue it was what his dad wanted, that instead, he should do it because it made HIS life better. That he was right; he could never please his dad, so instead, he should do things that would make his life better and easier.

I do the same thing with Callahan. I try to teach him that he should handle his frustration better not because his teacher tells him to or becaue it makes her job easier, but because it doesn't gain HIM anything. That he should handle his frustration better because it makes him happier, that it actually makes it easier to get what he wants, etc.

It's a sloooow process, but one that I think is worth it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:10pm

It actually is more difficult to parent today than it used to be, and here are some of the reasons:

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:11pm
No, they are not getting too much work.

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:12pm
Nope, you still don't get it.

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:14pm
Our whole society has gotten so into degrading gender stereotypes that it's disturbing, which is actually another element in the increasing difficulty of parenting today.

Sabina


Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:16pm
I don't know what you mean.

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:18pm
So, you start spanking at around 2 or 4 or 6, and you have to keep it up until they're 10?

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-29-1999
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:22pm
Thank you, Jeanne.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:28pm
I agree with you. I can happen to anyone. I am just going by personal experience. I think after more than 30 years, I would have heard something about someone. We are a pretty social neighborhood.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Sun, 11-19-2006 - 3:29pm
Absolutely. He was about the only one in his immediate family that did not know what was going on, mostly because he was male.

Pages