Childhood...

The introduction to this part of the book discusses how a parents influence over a child is everything while the child is growing up. If the parents work towards being polite and having manners the children will emulate that.

I believe I have followed those qualities that my parents set forth for me, however I figured out the qualities I don't agree with and make asserted efforts to not to follow certain paths my parents choose to follow.

Chapter 1; Family Relationships

Is it a Childs World?

This section discusses how children should have their limits and how children should be taught to behave by repetition and doing things themselves. My mom always did this with us, my sister and me, however sometimes her reprimanding while we were acting up, made her start laughing at our silly behavior. She now wishes she had relaxed a little at times. I hope I can take a lesson from my mom in these points when I have my own children, but I know I will loose my patience at times and probably regret some actions. With all that said, I hope I can be half the mother my mom was.

There is a part of the intro that discusses how children will have their rebellious times, and I did, but my mother only really lost her cool once and it wasnt because I wanted to wear all black bondage clothing, or spikes and chains or black lipstick, but instead because I was blatantly rude and vicious to her. Ms. Vanderbilt says that as long as a parent keeps their cool but gives rules, a base and repercussions, a child should learn to be good upstanding people. Repetition however not only has to be with scolding, but with having the child take care of their responsibilities themselves.

The second part discusses shooting too high. When you expect too much of a child. This section my mom must have read, learned, memorized, implemented and made sure was lodged into my head. It discusses how children should be aloud to get dirty, make mud pies and have fun. Its part of childhood to play and get dirty. When a child is afraid to get dirty and play 'he's not normal. Adult standards have been imposed upon him with too great an effect and to the detriment of his whole life.'

When I came home with my clothes all dirty from school and asked my mom if I shouldn't have gotten dirty, she replied with "Did you have fun?" Of course I had, I was playing. She in turn told me, "I know you had a fun day at school when you come home dirty." Smiling the whole time. It was nice to read this part of the book tonight, and to be reminded of my mother and how she taught my sister and me. My father was a big influence in my life, however he wasn't big on reprimanding, and though my grandparents took care of us enough to claim part of ming and my sisters upbringing, this section really reminded me of my mother. Thanks Mom for naturally knowing the right ways to teach us.