How Independent Are your Kids

United States
May 3, 2010 11:20am CST
I was just wondering how many of yalls children have alot of independence.. I would love for one day for my kids to be that way but I don't know how independent.. I feel like if your children are living with you they should rely on you somewhat.. Then again I don't want to be a slave.. but I see some children who "think" they are independent.. and they wind up in gangs "doing what THEY want" I was just wondering what yall felt?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@laglen (19759)
• United States
3 May 10
I say let our kids be kids but instill values along the way.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
3 May 10
hi like this little short short s tory I read that stuck in my mind, it was entitled Dont Sit On My Wings. the author told about being in the dressing room at the children's dance recital when her little daughter came up to her looking for the wings to her fairy outfit for a dance routine,her mom was sitting on part of one wing.MOm she cried don't sit on my wings. the mom then said that made her stop and think of the argument she had had with her oldest daughter who was 17 and wanted to learn to drive. aha she thought maybe I should let her take those drivers ed classes. she is old enough now to try her wings, maybe I have been sitting on her wings. So the moral to the story, don't sit on their wings. But always be there for them case they crash land.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
3 May 10
nice story hatley
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
3 May 10
When I have kids in a few years. I'm going to make sure they are independent. I'm going to adopt kids with disabilities, and they need to learn independence in my opinion even more than able-bodied children do. Able-bodied people are expected to become independennt, but disabled people are not taught to do so. My kid will be given every opportunity to practice independence acquiring skills, unlike me as child. I'm also disabled and had not such an independent minded upbringing.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
5 May 10
I believe that no two children really need to be parented the same way and no two sets of parents are going to parent in exactly the same manner. That said, I have two children, a seven year old daughter and a three year old son. Both of them are very independent individuals in the ways that it is safe for them to be independent. My daughter and son are both allowed to chose their own clothes and they take themselves to bed. My daughter is allowed to go up the street to her friend's house if she tells me where she is going. My son is not allowed to go outside the house alone because I feel that he is too young.
• United States
4 May 10
You can work hard to make your children independent but they will never stop being your children. From the time of about 4 years old all of my boys knew how to make a sandwich, cook something in the microwave, or pour themselves something to drink. Not only did this make them somewhat self-sufficient but it also taught them to actually think before doing something. "I cooked that in the microwave, it will be hot. I need to be careful removing it". Now, I am not saying that I never fed them (sounded like it, didn't it) but I never want them to have to rely on someone else for their basic needs. If they want a clean bathroom they have to clean it, and the same goes for the bedroom. The are all now teenagers and know how to figure things out for themselves and will be ready to live on their own when the time comes. The most important thing you can give your children is self-confidence, and if you do everything for them they will never get that.