The WELL: inkwell.vue.335: Hara Estroff Marano, A Nation of Wimps

#295: Ed Ward (captward) Thu 15 Nov 12 01:27

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:27:00 PST

Because of a phenomenal amount of spam directed at the comments for this topic, I am freezing it so as not to have to delete 20+ comments a day from spammers.

It is Inkwell's policy that discussions remain open for readers, and this policy remains. If anyone wants to comment here, please write to me, capt ward at well dot com (with the first name as one word) and I'll unfreeze and post.

Sorry for the inconvenience. [Read entire topic]

#294: Jennifer Simon (fingers) Thu 13 Nov 08 19:20

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:20:00 PST

Yes, thanks, very interesting. [Read entire topic]

#293: Lisa Harris (lrph) Thu 13 Nov 08 15:24

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:24:00 PST

thanks, steve. [Read entire topic]

#292: Steve Bjerklie (stevebj) Thu 13 Nov 08 14:26

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:26:00 PST

Interesting review of "Nation of Wimps" as well as a few other similar books (plus one that's dissimilar: "Huck's Raft: A History of American Childhood") in this week's New Yorker.

"The Child Trap: The rise of overparenting," by Joan Acocella:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2008/11/17/081117crbo_books_acocella [Read entire topic]

#291: Gail Williams (gail) Thu 2 Oct 08 10:47

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:47:00 PDT

Yay! [Read entire topic]

#290: Lisa Harris (lrph) Thu 2 Oct 08 07:46

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:46:00 PDT

Just checking in here to say that my kids rode their bikes to school by themselves today. And they made it there on time (okay, I admit I had to check). [Read entire topic]

#289: Hara Estroff Marano (haramarano) Sat 20 Sep 08 21:11

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 21:11:00 PDT

yes, the article ties in nicely. and here are the wise doctor's parting words:

A parent's job is to prepare children to be responsible and capable adults. Decrease your involvement over time and let your child live his or her own life.

They are worthy pausing over: Let your child live his or her own life. [Read entire topic]

#288: descend into a fractal hell of meta-truthiness (jmcarlin) Sat 20 Sep 08 11:04

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:04:00 PDT

I just happened to notice this story today that ties in with the book and discussion here:

http://www.healthcentral.com/newsdetail/408/618486.html

Parental Involvement in School Has Its Limits

FRIDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- While it can be a good thing for parents to advocate on behalf of their children, there's a point where children need to assume that role for themselves, says a Saint Louis University School of Medicine expert.

"That's the only way kids will be able to learn the skills they'll need to take care of themselves when they become adults," Dr. Ken Haller, an associate professor of pediatrics, said in a university news release. ... [Read entire topic]

#287: Hara Estroff Marano (haramarano) Fri 19 Sep 08 20:41

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:41:00 PDT

a neighborhood where kids are outside playing all the time? wow. i want to move there!!!! even tho my kids are grown and fledged. i love the sound of kids playing.

hey, i just want to share with you a message i got today on my website (www.nationofwimps.com)from a mother who just nails the issues. she has the unusual perspective of raising older and younger kids, and so experiencing personally the culture change in parenting.

Great book! I thought I was a slacker mom! I've been a parent for 23 years. My youngest is 11. There is a large difference between the parents of my 23 year old daughters friends, and the parents of kids my 11 year old's age. When my oldest was little, we let coaches coach and enjoyed watching the games. We let teachers teach, went to parent teacher conferences, and the Christmas play. With my younger kids,parents coach, are the scout leader, room mother,tutor and lunch lady. I was always made to feel like I wasn't pulling my weight if I didn't want to build gingerbread houses, or go to every kids sports practice. Practice! I always felt like my kids don't want me there every time they turn around. And frankly, I don't always want to be there. Parenting is a not very stimulating sometimes mind numbing adventure. Also when I'm around, sometimes my daughter turns into my whiny kid instead of the confident 6th grader she is. I want to thank you for writing this book. I was starting to question myself. Because my daughter is the baby, I was tending to micromanage her. This book reminded my of what I knew already, of how things used to be. My children are not stupid, incapable or incompetent. I shouldn't treat them like they are. Lisa [Read entire topic]

#286: Mr. Death is coming after you, too (divinea) Fri 19 Sep 08 13:22

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:22:00 PDT

There's an unusual number of them in affluent 'burbs, I think.

The kids in our neighborhood are outside all the time, playing, unsupervised. We just don't let them cross the racetrack street on their own. Too many people have been hit and injured at that corner. [Read entire topic]