Parenting style: Raising a person

[mibarra]

Originally Posted by dissidentdad The only parents opinions I would respect when it comes to a medical issue, especially with a special needs child, is a parent who is also of the medical profession or someone with a similar child who did at least as much research as I did. The choice was hearing or not hearing (I understand not at the same level), not pain or no pain. Had there been a non-evasive option to hear, like a prescription taken once a day for several years, and you chose to take the more antiquated method because that's what your parents had done I would think you were cruel. I disagree with anyone that does anything, whether related to parenting or not, based on feelings, beliefs or thoughts when it comes to making a decision for someone else. Further, since this seems to be the basis for many people's reasoning, religion is protected in the country I live in as a personal freedom, I find it wrong to brainwash toddlers into saying "Jesus loves you" as this suggests that they understand that the planet we live in is part of a universe in which God created everything and because of the vast sins of men, sent his son through immaculate conception and that this man died as a martyr in order to ensure everlasting life for those who believe in this idea. A toddler does not understand most of the words I used in that last sentence. Religious beliefs are protected as personal beliefs. If the general view was that our children were people we wouldn't impose our own beliefs on them, instead we would allow them to make their own choices when they understood the complex concepts of religion by living the tenements of our belief system and sharing our faith through the evidence shown in how we walk through life.

Well, some people would disagree about the hearing vs. not, because they don't see being deaf as a disability or a problem that needs to be fixed, and consider being a part of the Deaf community the only viable option if you truly respect your child. As for religion, others would argue that they are educating their child on their faith, not brainwashing them. It could just as easily be argued that nonreligious parents are brainwashing their children to also be nonreligious.

I also think we have to be careful in assuming that everyone parenting "mainstream" is just going along with it. Plenty of people have done extensive research on vaccines and chose to vaccinate, for example. I think in some things too we have to consider the possibility that everyone is doing something because it works.