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"Young children are not capable of making major decisions that will affect the rest of their lives."

 

 

 

   

"When he stumbles, be sure to say something sarcastic. Every time."

 

 

"Don't praise her achievements, especially if she beats you at chess."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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"Empowering" Your Child
by Janet Tubbs

phenomenon of the last quarter of the 20th century -- the "New Age"-- ushered in a concept of "empowering the child." This meant allowing children to make decisions without understanding the consequences of their choice. Freedom without responsibility is anarchy in the home, school, community and country.

Parents who live in a fantasy world where everyone and everything is pure, honest, beautiful, and "empowered" are often rudely jolted to reality when the police ring their doorbell to deliver news about their offspring.

Young children are not capable of making major decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. Of course they must be given choices about things that are not life-threatening, such as what to eat for breakfast or what to wear to school, Moreover, the same children are not capable of comprehending tile long range consequences of more mature actions or illegal activities such as sex or drugs.

Want to know how you can encourage your children to join a cult or gang? Humiliate, embarrass, ignore, and ridicule them. Above all, "empower" them in all things. Here are some examples:

  • Never compliment on her appearance--just grunt.

  • Don't correct table manners so that when he goes out to eat, he's humiliated.

  • Don't provide any means of expressing himself--no paints, no art or dance or music lessons.

  • Don't give her credit for intelligence. "You're only a girl."

  • When he stumbles, be sure to say something sarcastic. Every time.

  • Every once in a while, give her the silent treatment. She'll be consumed with guilt, trying to figure out what she did.

  • Always be the boss. Always be right. That way, he'll never learn teamwork and cooperation.

  • Never show affection. This is especially important for fathers who feel it's not macho to hug another male. And of course, be sure never to show affection in public.

  • Don't praise her achievements, especially if she beats you at chess.

  • Be sure to enhance bigotry, chauvinism and other negative behaviors. This will make it difficult to get along in the world.

  • Withhold love until he does what you want him to. ("Mommy won't love you unless.......")

  • Feign illness and play on guilt. ("Oh, my heart. I just can't take it when you talk back.")

  • Don't forget bribery. ("Be good and I'll...")

Add a few of your own, and you're guaranteed to have a child filled with insecurity, low self-esteem, resentment, rage, and revenge. Some may even produce the results you want, but only on a short-term basis with a potential for long term problems.

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Janet Tubbs is founder and president of Children’s Resource Center, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

She is also one of the Founders of People for Children & Animals, Inc. Her column, Family Matters, is a regular feature of VegSource On-Line Magazine.

You can visit Janet's home page by clicking on this link:

Children's Resource Center