tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post7347549750133716205..comments2023-10-21T03:54:12.029-04:00Comments on A Gift Universe: But ARE they spoiled?Sheilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-83964479778644739482012-08-22T22:21:52.440-04:002012-08-22T22:21:52.440-04:00Incidentally, it would never have occurred to me t...Incidentally, it would never have occurred to me to secure trash can lids in case there are bears. And my parents live in a pretty rural area; I guess we just don't get bears? The biggest problem my family has had is the wind blowing over empty garbage cans so they roll down the street.The Sojournerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04559244806125834569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-38688366514630545442012-08-21T16:02:22.799-04:002012-08-21T16:02:22.799-04:00Yes, both of you have a real point. I think my ap...Yes, both of you have a real point. I think my approach would be to say, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't warn you about this. Let's clean it up together, and then I'll show you how to make sure the lid is on tight."<br /><br />The trouble is taking the time to put up with half right for a little while, while our kids learn how to do all right. No matter how you do it, child-raising takes some input from the parents and some work! There's no easy way to change a child from a baby that knows nothing but how to nurse into an adult who takes care of you when you're old. You have to put up with actual childhood in between, which means slow learning and development and mistakes.Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10853868724554947854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-59350333676385574182012-08-21T08:11:23.203-04:002012-08-21T08:11:23.203-04:00I wondered the same thing as Meredith...why was th...I wondered the same thing as Meredith...why was the mom picking up the trash? Maybe her kid was at school or something and she didn't want it to sit out until he got home, but it sounded like it never occurred to her to have him work on fixing his mistake. (If that were me, I imagine I'd have helped him, but I wouldn't have totally insulated him from the reality of gross trash littered all over the driveway.)<br /><br />But your points are also very good. If she just said, "Take out the trash" and didn't walk him through the steps, I can see how he wouldn't realize that he needed to fasten the lids or whatever. (I'm 22 and I can be painfully clueless when it comes to basic tasks like that, though I've gotten better through sheer trial and error since I've been out on my own.)The Sojournerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04559244806125834569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2464977109229359349.post-1148777106318873552012-08-20T15:56:32.504-04:002012-08-20T15:56:32.504-04:00This post is full of win. American babies are not...This post is full of win. American babies are not genetically different from tribal babies; it's the parenting that's different. The mom in the article gave up too easily when her son messed up the trash - why didn't she have him clean it up? And say "next time you'll remember about the lid?"<br /><br />You have to teach kids these things. I remember my mom teaching me how to clean the bathroom according to her standards, and she walked through the whole process several times. Then when she was satisfied she turned me loose on the house. <br /><br />As for those French moms, they sound an awful lot like American moms from the 50s, who tossed their kids outdoors and let them play on their own, didn't give them snacks, etc.Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02275790985990503744noreply@blogger.com