His kids turned out. Pick two old men and look at their adult children. Are they successful and would you be proud of they were your kids or would you be ashamed and feel like a failure. Apples and trees come to mind.

I think my goal in life is to raise happy successful offspring everyone would be proud to have as friends, be great parents, and children of GOD. ( Got to get them indoctrinated young as I have read on here recently).

I try to keep positive, successful, and Smarter than myself people around me in my personal life. It's hard to do well except for the smarter part. It has a positive effect on my outlook and mind set. I guess that's probably why I'm attracted to this fourm and it's talented, diverse, and knowledgeable base of people. A big thanks to all of you and especially Paul for providing the place for all of us. ( Now let's see if something so simple as the first 4 lines gets turned into something political and gets this thread nuked in a few pages). An after thought after the other post about the rules.

In some ways, I agree, until the boys get married and/or out on their own. Women and the environment can change men.

My brother and I are very, very different people. Would be hard to know we were brothers if we didn't tell you.

I agree/don't agree. Yes good parents help, but I've seen many times over, (I live with one) my wife had a horrible childhood, mom was super young still a child when she had Alicia, and a few other things I won't mention.she didn't know her dad until she was 29 and he turned out no good., no influence there other than I won't be them. That's my wife's philosophy on parenting, do the opposite my mom would do. Now she did have her grandpa until she was 13, so that helped some.. and let me tell you she wasn't a good kid, and most said she wouldn't amount to anything! She fought for approval her who life, a lot has to do with her choices in her early age. But I will tell you now she is a heck of a woman and has proved everyone wrong. This is all because of God has nothing to do with her parents. She is a RN, Sunday school teacher, best mom our kids could ask for, not saying this because she is my wife.. I am saying this because I have lived out some of this story with her and I've seen the growth she has had and it's all due to the relationship she has with the almighty himself. He trumps good parenting.

Many kids run the parents today or the kids free range in some cases a lot of values are not being taught in the home or at the dinner table like before.

Hopefully ( still theoretical for me yet kids aren't old enough to be sure time will tell) if you raise them with a good foundation they will be able to pick the correct woman to support them and environment. Nothing is full proof but it can't hurt.

My wife , her oldest brother and sister are all hard working and very savvy. Her other brother wouldn’t keep a job in a pie factory tasting every third pie. What does that say about their Dad?

That his son likes pie and I would guess he does also. Sounds like the youngest boy got spoiled if I'm reading the this right.

I disagree 100%.
I’ve seen good God fearing men and woman raise children that would make the devil himself blush.
I’ve seen kids raised by nonexistent fathers and crackhead mothers turn out to be college educated professionals that any parent would be proud of.
Nothing is set in stone…

Too many other influences to combat.
Pier pressure, geographic location, school/teachers, corrupt media, ........ on and on.

Parents can only do so much.

The odds are against the young folks, but we do the best we can.
Kids are but a glimpse of a reflection of their parents.
I wouldn't judge any adult solely based on an evaluation of their youngster(s).

Some of the most successful young ones are raised and trained by parents who are the most corrupt and greedy snakes in society.

X2

We're on the same page, you and me

Seems like every family around me has that one bad offspring.

And the parents have much more control over outside influence than they want to believe especially up through living in your home so highschool. But it takes sacrifice and hard work to make it happen. Sure if you drop your kids off in daycare then move them into schools and then after school daycare there's a lot more influence involved with outside pressures. Whereas if you make the sacrifices and your kids stay at home and are homeschooled and around other homeschool families you can severely reduce those outside negative influences while the kids are at a young and impressive ages. But you right there are limits to what parents can control.


Genetics play a big part. I have 4 adopted siblings. They were raised the same as I was by my mom. They are all better than their birth parents but so far not making good choice's I would like to see. Hmm just realized I missed something in my thinking all these years. And it's huge I had my grandparents influence that those kids did not and that could be all the difference in the world.

I just thank God that my sons turned out great. Parents can only do their best and pray.

Both are hard-working, independent adults. Oldest (40 this year) is a high school teacher and teaches Spanish and math. My youngest (37 this year) owns his own big truck and hauls materials in hopper trailers all over the US.

Social media and cell phones are making it much harder to raise kids. I limit both and it causes friction.

Otherwise, my best advice is (1) set a good example of integrity and hard work; (2) be good to them but do not treat them like friends; (3) demand their best in everything; (4) do not dump your adult issues and problems on them; and (5) work them like Egyptian slaves.

Oh yeah--never forget and to quote Home Alone that "kids are stupid." At some point, their brain should (hopefully) engage.

This^^^^ is how it works.....with a lot of prayer added in along the way.

This conveys my sentiments exactly...It's kind of like the old Gatorade commercial..."Is it in you"?

My wife, a Cherokee woman had every disadvantage imaginable early in life with a no count road (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) mother who tried to pawn her off to anyone who would raise her, and tried to get her to quit school....Through all her mothers abusive boyfriends, all the domestic fights, through all the constant moving, she prevailed.

She took over her mothers checking acct at 13 yrs old because the power kept getting turned off, with no food in the fridge....And was left alone one time for 5 days with no food, she was 12.

Turns out it made her strong, determined, immersed in faith, and the absolute best human being I've ever known....." Is it in you"?

I know good kids with knucklehead parents and bad kids with good parents. And everything in between.

I agree. I have a sister that’s a liberal. The other one turned out good.

I agree with you. I've seen the same thing. You can't always put the blame or credit on the parents. I feel many factors come into play as to how a child will turn out. Such as, the friends they keep, work ethic, morals, etc.