On Parenting
I worked over the weekend in Tennessee with Sam Bullard's parents. For those who do not know, they run an event/party equipment rental business. Moonjumps, giant slides, mechanical rides, cotton candy, and all that sort. The point of this simple set up is that during this job I witnessed two different examples of parenting and it gave me something to ponder on during that long, boring bit of work.
I was 'working' next to the giant inflatable slide most of the day (excluding a brief period of exhibiting my inability to make a decent cotton candy). The slide itself gets very hot and that heat was a great deterrent and left me with little to do all day other than working on my tan. There were, though, a few brave souls determined to have fun despite the heat. Two fathers brought their sons over. One father was short and overweight while the other was bald and fit. The portly patriarch asked his son, "Do you want to slide," and the son replied that he would, indeed, like to slide. The boy slipped his shoes off and began to climb up the slide, but he quickly got off and stated that it was too hot for him slide. His father tried to coax him gently to try the slide again, but the boy was not willing to risk the heat again. That pair left and went to ride ponies or somesuch thing. The next father had two sons about the same age as the first. He ordered his two sons up the slide with stern voice and pointing finger. The boys also complained that the slide was too hot, but did as they were told. These two boys upon reaching the top, slid down with smiles etched ear to ear. They slid down a few more times and then the father told them that that was enough and for them to get off. Slightly disappointed, the two tykes did has their father told them to do.
So which was the better way of it? On the one hand, there was one child who was being allowed to make a few decisions regarding his wants and feelings, but still missing out on an enjoyable experience. One might even say that in allowing these decisions the boy misses out on things he may need. While on the other hand, the authoritarian style offered two young boys a fun time on a slide but may one day hamper creative thought.
To be fair, I have not fleshed out this topic as much I had meant to and I do not really have a right or wrong answer for it. I know that both sides have their positives and negatives, and that most parenting should probably be a balance of the two.
I was 'working' next to the giant inflatable slide most of the day (excluding a brief period of exhibiting my inability to make a decent cotton candy). The slide itself gets very hot and that heat was a great deterrent and left me with little to do all day other than working on my tan. There were, though, a few brave souls determined to have fun despite the heat. Two fathers brought their sons over. One father was short and overweight while the other was bald and fit. The portly patriarch asked his son, "Do you want to slide," and the son replied that he would, indeed, like to slide. The boy slipped his shoes off and began to climb up the slide, but he quickly got off and stated that it was too hot for him slide. His father tried to coax him gently to try the slide again, but the boy was not willing to risk the heat again. That pair left and went to ride ponies or somesuch thing. The next father had two sons about the same age as the first. He ordered his two sons up the slide with stern voice and pointing finger. The boys also complained that the slide was too hot, but did as they were told. These two boys upon reaching the top, slid down with smiles etched ear to ear. They slid down a few more times and then the father told them that that was enough and for them to get off. Slightly disappointed, the two tykes did has their father told them to do.
So which was the better way of it? On the one hand, there was one child who was being allowed to make a few decisions regarding his wants and feelings, but still missing out on an enjoyable experience. One might even say that in allowing these decisions the boy misses out on things he may need. While on the other hand, the authoritarian style offered two young boys a fun time on a slide but may one day hamper creative thought.
To be fair, I have not fleshed out this topic as much I had meant to and I do not really have a right or wrong answer for it. I know that both sides have their positives and negatives, and that most parenting should probably be a balance of the two.