We’ve stopped punishing our kids with time-outs or spankings. We’ve stopped punishing them completely. Instead, we meet their needs, as Dr. Haiman lays out. I know parents that have kids, and the only reason, it seems, they had them was to decorate their life. When their children get “nasty”, they get nastier. It’s a disgusting…
Tag: children
Bah Humbug to The Christmas Carol
December’s finally here and I’ve been waiting to post this. We’re all familiar with the classic story The Christmas Carol, and how “evil” Ebeneezer Scrooge is. 2 years ago I shared on my Truth blog an essay by Butler Shaffer that completely changed my opinion of this story. Here’s what I posted then: I couldn’t believe…
Kings of Unintended Consequences
Guest post by Nicholas Hooton. In a turn of events that has surprised all but those who learn from history, San Francisco’s ban on Happy Meals is resulting in the opposite of the intended effect: an increase in “unhealthy” food sales. The legislation prohibits the inclusion of a toy with any meal that does not…
How Children Really React to Control
Violent control is at the heart of modern parenting. It’s counter-productive, harmful, and unethical in my estimation. My wife and I only recently abandoned violent parenting, opting instead for loving, gentle guidance, and we’ve found nothing but confirmation every day since. “When one person tries to control another, you can always expect some kind of…
Re: Religion and Kids
Guest post by Trent Oliphant. Excellent post, Skyler. I have often had discussions with a friend of mine on this exact subject. He had children that didn’t want to go to church and he felt that he needed to force them (cajole or guilt when they got too big to physically force). I tried to…
Religion and Kids
A comment to me in a Facebook group, “I hope your child’s participation in religious stuff is voluntary.” Indeed, I’m happy to report that it is. I’d be a big fat hypocrite if it wasn’t. This brings me to share a few thoughts on the subject. As a Latter-day Saint, I believe the following scriptures…
Thankful For
I am grateful and thankful for all sorts of things. For my life, my wife, my children, my parents, my jobs, my talents, my house, my car, and my Savior. However, I will say that I am not grateful or thankful for my “freedom”. Freedom is a given, it’s the default, the zero-point. You have…
Re: Youth vs. Teenager
Guest post by Carl Uhl. Skyler, in Butler Shaffer’s book “Boundaries of Order”, he made similar comparisons regarding teenagers and how they act when they are finally permitted to exercise some semblance of control over their lives. Following is an excerpt from “Boundaries or Order” available in .pdf format from Mises.org It has become commonplace…
Re: Youth vs. Teenager
A very interesting interview on the subject of teenagers and adolescents of psychologist Robert Epstein. He believes adolescence is an artificial extension of childhood, that teenagers have more competence than we allow them to exhibit, and that our child-labor and compulsory schooling laws are counter-productive and keep teens from obtaining adulthood (and the rights and…
Youth vs. Teenager
The word they use in Mexico for teenager is “rebelde”, which means, obviously, rebel. It seems Mexico is a little more honest with how they view teenagers. I view teenagers the same way. I think we all do these days. Was it always that way? Were the teen-aged always considered rebels? Not according to Michael…