Jim Henderson wrote:

> None of us gets an instruction manual on how to be a parent.  All kids 
> are different, so there isn't a "this way works best for everyone".  If 
> you do the best you can, that's all anyone can ask (about anything, not 
> just parenting) - those that do, well, they can go f--- themselves.

Yeah, but surely you end up playing that old game of "well if I'd done X 
instead of Y then Z wouldn't have happened and then..."

> Does that mean I don't worry about him?  No.  That's part of the job of 
> being a parent:  being concerned for your child's well-being.  Being 
> there for them to support them when things aren't going so well.

How about this: When I was about 3 years old, I walked to the local 
nursry by myself one day. Just found a chair, opened the front door and 
toddled over there. It's about 1 mile and involves crossing a small road.

When I got home, my mother was hyperventilating. My mumbled responce of 
"I walked to nursry but it was shut but then a nice man gave me a 
sweety" didn't seem to calm her down.

>> Like I said, a stressful and thankless task. :-(
> 
> Not at all.  Ken turns 21 in a few weeks; he still lives at home (he's at 
> the local university when school's in session), and when I'm working from 
> home, he frequently comes by and gives me a hug for no reason; he still 
> comes in and kisses us goodnight before going to bed.

Heh. I guess because *my* parents were always quite distant I forget 
what it's like to be a normal family...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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