February 17, 2005
I decided to put this in a separate post rather than just respond to the comments. Believe it or not, this person is actually a good, good friend of mine. Unfortunately, she seems to have taken a nasty fall off her broom, and decided to take it out on me...
Up yours. I am an intelligent human being who has complete dedication for what I'm dealing with. I constantly re-evaluate myself on what I'm doing right or wrong. I know my wrongs, and don't want Annie to adopt them, but I'm eager for her to adopt the things that I do right. You know, like going to a friend's house and building a new porch roof while they are gone so it is there when they come back. Like teaching a friend's child to love the feeling of riding a horse with skill. How dare you comment on the truth of what they say about fathers. Fathers who are dedicated to their children should be a good thing. The general pop-culture doesn't want us to be; they'd rather complain about bad fathers, but don't want to accept dedicated fathers. I deal with this all the frickin' time. People who tell me that children are better off with their mothers. Remember that conversation? My daughter is the angel in my life. She is the reason for my existence.
Hmmm... Are we talking honesty here? You have lived fifty- years, with a small standard deviation and an upper specification limit of 50. Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post (the one you didn't accurately comment to.) I didn't force or coerce Annie to accept spiders or banana slugs. I simply showed her that I didn't have the same concerns that she had learned from popular opinion. When she disagrees with my belief, I accept that. I just don't want her to accept popular opinion without investigation. There is no "chinese water torcher" (or torture) going on. I express to Annie my thoughts, and tell her that she can make up her mind. I'm trying to teach her that the "norm" needs to be tested, and according to the things we've done, it's worked. I may not be the best parent, but I have my good points, and I accept what Annie believes, and just ask her to be sure.
Perhaps she learned it from her father.
Trying to be a good father
Poor kid. I guess it’s true what they say about fathers. They always need to mold things into their image. Leave the girl alone. If stuffed animals make her happy at show and tell.... what’s to be disappointed about. Nothing disappoints a parent more than the fact that their kids were not created in their image in all ways.
Up yours. I am an intelligent human being who has complete dedication for what I'm dealing with. I constantly re-evaluate myself on what I'm doing right or wrong. I know my wrongs, and don't want Annie to adopt them, but I'm eager for her to adopt the things that I do right. You know, like going to a friend's house and building a new porch roof while they are gone so it is there when they come back. Like teaching a friend's child to love the feeling of riding a horse with skill. How dare you comment on the truth of what they say about fathers. Fathers who are dedicated to their children should be a good thing. The general pop-culture doesn't want us to be; they'd rather complain about bad fathers, but don't want to accept dedicated fathers. I deal with this all the frickin' time. People who tell me that children are better off with their mothers. Remember that conversation? My daughter is the angel in my life. She is the reason for my existence.
Regarding icky… based upon popular opinion??? Is it not possible for one to take popular opinion… and then the opinion according to David and make their own decision without being pummeled and pestered to conform to either one? You strike me as a bully. I have lived perfectly well for 40+ years chosing not to put spiders on my list of favorite things! And who are you to tell me otherwise. Parents can convince their offspring that all sorts of things are cool… like prejudice, intolerance etc… because of the powerful role they play in their lives. Enforcing ideas and behaviors by repetition… you will like this,... chinese water torcher by spide and slug until one ultimately conforms.
Hmmm... Are we talking honesty here? You have lived fifty- years, with a small standard deviation and an upper specification limit of 50. Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post (the one you didn't accurately comment to.) I didn't force or coerce Annie to accept spiders or banana slugs. I simply showed her that I didn't have the same concerns that she had learned from popular opinion. When she disagrees with my belief, I accept that. I just don't want her to accept popular opinion without investigation. There is no "chinese water torcher" (or torture) going on. I express to Annie my thoughts, and tell her that she can make up her mind. I'm trying to teach her that the "norm" needs to be tested, and according to the things we've done, it's worked. I may not be the best parent, but I have my good points, and I accept what Annie believes, and just ask her to be sure.
I am terrified of spiders. I have an electronic spider sucker. I cannot bear to even mash them with my shoe. I scream, get hysterical and carry on when one is in the house until it is flushed. Victoria the other day however, when there was a particularly large spider in an area where my spider sucker would prove to be ineffective… stepped up, said “for God sakes Mom, it’s just a spider!” Took a paper towel and plucked it off the wall while I screamed the whole time. My mother always said… “You carry on like that and you are going to teach her to be afraid of spiders.” Well I have and did, but to my credit did not say “you must be afraid of them” and walla! She is a product of making her own informed opinion. “Do I want to run around like and idiot when I see a spider like my Mom?” Victoria’s answer was obviously with no influence from me… a definitive ‘No!”. (I would prefer to have company in my panic) Viva free will, uninfluenced by the powerful. Course she is mean as a snake at times… hence snake trumps spider every time. I however am not afraid of anything reptilian or rodent like.
Perhaps she learned it from her father.
Trying to be a good father