all the best intentions in the world, every child-rearing manual ever printed, all the advice received from friends, relations and total strangers can ever prepare anyone to be a parent. (that would be me)

   Healthy, self confident, psychologically well adjusted, caring, well educated, financially stable people can be terrible parents in some circumstances. Frustration,despair, anger... all words with which parents become familiar - along with joy, amazement and small miracles.

   Giving children the opportunity to recognize, at an early age, the fact that they have responsibility to themselves, the people they love and the planet on which they live to become independent seems to be a skill that is lacking in the frantic lifestyles of most of the children I encounter.

   Scheduled within an inch of their lives with sports, piano, ballet, endless hours in front of the televison, video games that make the hairs on the back of my neck shiver and dealing with family financial situations which demand the impossible from parents... most of these kids never make a decision. It's no wonder that when they are confronted with one they react poorly and with such limited problem solving skills. (God that sounds just like growing up in the seventies - minus the video games)

It seems I've gone off track a bit here but I'll try to drag it back. Kids who are given the chance to practice making decisons when they are young and allowed to live with their choices (without be bailed out or made excuses for) become more rational, involved, and independent and rarely need to be disciplined in any form - corporal or otherwise.

Ahhhhhh... worked (and works) for me anyway.
j