HW 58

Marguerite was the speaker that i think i shared the most similar beliefs with. Although Josh Marks had some interesting thoughts and methods he planned to use when raising his kids, Marguerite had the same core values as I do. She stressed the importance of honesty and trust and explained in a way that was not sugar coating. She admitted that of course at times her children were not going to tell her the truth and not get along with her but she did what she could to minimize them doing this as much as she could. She was fully aware that each of her three children would have very different personalities that would cause them to have different interests and passions, which she would all support equally. Regardless of there passions being different she made it important to teach them all certain qualities to guide them. She also made an interesting point about how although she taught them all the same values, she raised each child a little differently. Her first child she was very cautious with and was worried about every little detail and by her third child she let him go play alone and was less worried but still loved him equally.
Josh Marks plan had a lot more structure than that of Marguerite yet both have their advantages. His main motto seemed to be that you are not able to shape your children in the end but you are able to guide them. Josh Marks plans activities for his child so that his child is able to develop necessary skills and find hobbies. Most people would say that this method kills the imagination factor for the child but I think it is the other way around. Kids that are given the freedom to do what they what often end up sitting in front on the Television set for hours where a child like that of Josh Marks may be entered in a ceramics class where the level of imagination is a lot higher than sitting in front on a TV. I don't think there is a concrete way to raise children, do what you personally believe is right.

Parenting comes natural to a lot of people. It seems like balance is key to raising a child well. Too much playtime and he loses structure but too much structure and he loses enjoyment and freedom. Let the child explore to find his own passions but help to show him the in depth of these passions when he has found them. All too often I see parents trying to turn there kids into the people they never were. The typical stereotype is the football star that never made would have his son do anything possible to make it. Growing up around sports I always found it very sad when a child develops an interest in a sport that is not the same one as that of the parents and therefore the parent does not support as much as he would if it were his sport.
Being a parent is a full time job and without care and support I think it affects the child in the long run. When parents are not around as much to raise the child, I feel like the child is forced to grow up a lot quicker and it becomes independent faster which is often not a good thing because there are so many vital things children need to be taught by there parents and they miss out on that. During My parents divorce I was ignored a lot and put off and it made my lose trust and faith in my parents which I still have today. Although it is very sad, it is something that I wish i could change. The reverse also happens that parents are never able to let go of there children and are over strict with them. Usually around the time when college comes they have so much freedom and they are not able to handle it after all these years of being under strict order.