After hearing Marks talk about parenting, I've realized that there is a lot that goes into parenting. There are so many ways you can raise a child, right ways and wrong ways. It's scary to know that the way your child turns out may be due to a big part in the way you've brought them up. I agreed with a lot of the ideas Marks had for the future of his child. He plans on putting her in all sorts of classes so she can develop different skills and become well rounded, although I don't know if that will put too much pressure on the child. A good balance will be fine. He also said that college can be optional for her but the important thing is to help her hone the skills she's best at, whether it be artistic skills or mathematical skills. I think it's very important that a parent not be too controlling of a child. Often times, parents are very strict with their child, up to the point where they've planned out its whole future before it even has a chance to find out where its passion really lies.
My parents are very forceful that I go to college and find a job I can earn a lot in. The pressure can really get to a child, especially when the parent doesn't even try to understand what they want. My mom has stated countless times that it doesn't matter if the job is enjoyable. The important thing is the earn money. In her mind, the number of digits in your salary determines success rather than how much chemistry you have with your job. This type of parenting style doesn't do much motivating or encouraging. It gets your child confused and gives them less confidence to appraoch life. It gives them the impression that what they want is insignificant and life isn't about chasing after your dreams.
The units this year has made me question a lot about my own situation, where I am and what I want to be in life. This parenting unit had me thinking about the way my parents have raised me and how that might've have shaped the person I am. Still though, there are so many factors into raising a child, so many combinations, that it's virtually impossible to try to perfect the art of parenting unless your child is being raised by robots. But even then, he/she won't be receiving much love. I think a parent must try to perfect himself/herself and become a role model first, therefore the child can imitate the right way to do things. They also need to keep an open mode of communication, so the child can feel comfortable coming to his/her parents with issues before anyone else. This relationship would keep the child from feeling isolated. It lets them know that help is always within reach and that there is always room for help and growth.
Parenting is a lot of responsibility. Not only are you caring for another human being physically, you are ultimately caring for them emotionally and tending to their every need. It's not something you can just flake out on and give up on. It's a life. I don't think I'll ever be ready. I want to know what's the real reason why people want babies. To feel loved? To strengthen their bonds? Because they're cute? To continue their family line? I don't understand what would make them want to give birth to such a big burden. I'm really curious. I'm not against having children. I want one too someday. But I don't know why I do. I guess people just don't question it. It's one of those mandatory things in life, like going to school.
Another topic I'm interested in is does parenting play a big role in shaping a child's life? There are plenty of successful people with bad childhoods. The way you are parenting might have a big impact on the child early in its life but as it grows, the child is ultimately the one who decides who he/she will look up to. He can disregard his parents completely and look at his grandma, teacher, friend, or a musician for guidance instead. I think it is what he chooses to follow that is what's going to take its effect on him the most. So no matter how much of a good parent you try to be, how many times you tell your child what to do or what not to do, how much attention you try to give him/her, how many classes you try to put her/him into, none of it matters unless they accept it.
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