When did structure become a bad thing?
Find a Conversation
| Fri, 07-30-2004 - 8:19am |
We used to live next door to a "no structure" family. The kids ran wild in the neighborhood, the mom never planned dinner so lord only knows if and when the kids ate. Sorry, I don't think that's a good way to live. My kids know we eat dinner at 6:30, so they have to be home.
I can see taht you wouldn't demand that an infant go to bed and wake up at precisely the same time, but is there ever a time to impose structure on a child? So lets say you are the freewheeling type and have always doen things whenever. What happens when you send your child to school where the bell rings at the same time every day?
As far as activities, I realize all kids are different, but when my kids were little, if we just did whatever, whenever, my kids woudl end up grumpy and overtired. My experience is that if say, we were at the beach and I say, oh heck, let's just stay later, the kids woudl be happy at first, but by the days end I would end up with whiny, overtired kids.
Maybe I'm just misinterpreting what I am reading, but I personally think structure is a good thing. When children are small, the structure includes naptimes, mealtimes, etc. As they get older it evolves into boundaries like "be home at 6 for dinner" or "you can't go into soemones house without telling me first". I couldn't imagine living without structure or boundaries for my kids.
Susan

Pages
It is to me, no different than a smoker saying that there is *nothing wrong with smoking*.
dj
Dj
"Now when I need help, I look in the mirror" ~Kanye West~
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I am way too paranoid about what would happen to their neural networks to leave the TV on all day. I think I read Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman five years ago and I became very respectful of the complicated things that go on in the developing brain.
As far as scheming family members, I do have a sister who does not get how we can all live together in this small house with one TV. She thinks we need a little TV for one of the bedrooms so I can get rid of the kids when I need to. I don't know, I don't suppose I have four kids because it was the convenient thing to do.
Personally, I'd try to find out why the baby gets car sick during every trip . . .even short distances. . .or I'd find something else for her to focus on.
What would you have done if an in-car DVD wasn't an option?
And knowing 1 year olds, I seriously doubt she's 'focusing' soley on the TV.
Virgo
Pages