AF Members with Kids, Whatcha Think?

[brewer]

Are we giving to much power to our kids? Is this to the point or a piece of crap? Kinda tired of parent blaming.

http://www.macleans.ca/society/the-colla...o-grow-up/

[vorlon13]

Looks like it's fairly consistent with John Rosemond's take on parenting.

Despite not having kids of my own (ICK !!!) I'm a big fan of John Rosemond. Have several friends that dearly needed his advice and it's a shame it didn't happen.

[Alex K]

Ask me again in 6 years

But this is no black and white issue for me, I think I'll give my kid(s) as much choice as possible in certain matters to show them that I take them and their concern seriously to a certain extent, and will simply insist on other things, such as that we eat at the table together etc.

According to reliable sources it is however not a good idea to force children to always eat up, but that's a slightly different story.

[Jenny A]

Mine are well into their teens. I don't know exactly where we fit according to the article's scheme of things.

We've never negotiated on established rules. Nor have we had any real food wars. Don't want peas? Fine. No seconds of anything else and no snacks until next meal. Fairly simple especially if you allow them to substitute a similarly healthy vegetable if there's one available. Couldn't make them sleep, but I could make them stay quietly in bed in the dark.

But we’ve also always given them more freedom earlier than their peers---including the freedom to fall flat on their faces, literally and figuratively. Failure is a good teacher. Trying and succeeding, is the best confidence builder especially if it takes a few tries.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I allowed my son to exercise age-appropriate discretion, but made no bones about my authority. I would entertain his views, change my mind if it was sensible to do so, but if I made a decision the expectation of his following it was clear.

For meals, dessert followed dinner. If he didn't finish his dinner, it wasn't served. He's always enjoyed vegetables, so that wasn't an issue.

[Alex K]

I plan to cook together with my daughter from time to time as soon as possible (I am the principal cook of this here household). I think that this strongly influences the relationship to meals (not seeing them as something that you receive and have to accept passively). I remember not liking whole grain stuff, but when my mum spent a weekend baking stuff together with me, I was pretty fascinated by it and, of course, eagerly ate the products of my work.

[Minimalist]

Kids today ain't worth shit.

[brewer]

Kids today ain't worth shit.

Spoken like a true old coot. Get off my lawn.

[Alex K]

I've given several talks in High Schools (of the same type I attended) during the past years, and I had the impression that the kids today are smarter than we were 15 years ago.

[brewer]

I just drive by them. Try to use a different vehicle as often as possible. Damn cameras.