What Would You Do Different Than Your Parents

I've been thinking lately about how my parents raised me, and how if I ever had children (though I don't plan to), what I would want to do different, and what I would try to do the same. Add on if you want. You can also put in general life choices you would do differently that don't directly apply to parenting if you feel like it. Oy, I just realized that this is pretty damn personal. Well...

woh interisting quston

i would do different:

love them
respets my wedding vows
be honest
cry with them
hug them
kiss them
i would go for walks
not let the spark die
explain sex to our kids together

i would keep the same: who this is sad i would chang everything! Aaa Heather

I would work hard on my marridge.. never send them to school I would risk them I would read to them, love them... many of the things my parents did wonderfully travel with them... i would want their respect as well as their love... (something im not sure i have for my parents) -Dawn

I would try to do the same:

read out loud incessantly
tell them I love them
tell stories
be responsible

I would try to do different:

make more of a community for my children to live in
not do a breadwinner/home-keeper thing
be more honest
be more open about the differences of humanity and about sex, drugs and alcahol ;)

I would try to do the same:

sing
read to them
snuggle
hug and kiss
go on walks
pack picnic lunches and take them to the playground
set reasonable limits
joke around
play
be firm when disciplining, but not mean
show affection for my spouse in front of my kids
embarrass them in public. hehe. That looks like it'd be fun.

I would try to do different:

(well, be married when I have children, for one)
never send them to school... or at least let them choose
not resort to yelling and spanking as forms of punishment (my parents yell more than they spank, and I can only remember being spanked once or twice when I was little, and I deserved it)
give them a little more freedom (eg: let them go to parties that their friends are having. Growl.)
not concern them with money problems until they're older and can handle it
not make them associate with people they don't like *coughmyevilunclewhotreatshiskidslikeshitcough*

That's about it, I think. Fiona

same:

 read to them
 sing to and with them
 go camping
 treat them like real people
 provide tons of artistic supplies of all sorts
 encourage them to do what they're passionate about
 encourage them to try things they're not particularly passionate about
 let them try school if they want to, but first try all possible
alternatives
 make sure they know I love them

different:

 be passionate about something myself
 be open to ideas that change from day to day
 trust them all the time, not just when it's convinient
 have a large intimate community
 make sure they know the real value of money by the time they're 13 or so
 be more open about body functions, sex, drugs etc, not just have 'the
talk'
 have at least one person constantly available

Really, my parents are so great, sometimes I feel like even though I'm not completely satisfied with them, how could I ever do better? marina

Things I would do differently

Give my children as much respect as I ask of them for me.
Give them more freedom. Respect their choices.
Never punish them physically or when I'm angry.
Never force them to do school at home or go to school.
Put up with their "creative messes".
Breastfeed as long as my baby and I want to.
Let them have pets who can live in the house with us
natural birth: I want my older children to be there when their siblings are born. I want to be at home in my own bed (or bathtub as the case may be:).
Be passionate about something myself. Have a life. I'm not going to work at a job I dislike, take care of my family and house, go to bed and repeat,and then make my children feel guilty because I don't have a life and they aren't "appreciative" enough for me.
Explain sex openly as soon as they are old enough to understand (and I mean literally) and help them see it in a healthy way.
Encourage their passions. Help them accomplish their dreams.
let them sleep with me as long as they need to
play games and sing with them, definately
Give them a rich social structure and community outside of school.
limited t.v.
eat healthier and encourage them to do the same

Things I would do

Always let them see how much I love their father.
Don't condescend just because they are young. I can't stand adults who use that "kindergarten teacher" voice on children.
Read to them lots.
Show them Christ's love and be a Christian example. Pray with my family.
Give them lots of opportunities.
Love, love, love them. And show it!

-Ren

same:

   Have them intentionally after establishing a very strong relationship w/
their father
   Breastfeeding :)
   Drug-free childbirth
   Read to them all the time
   Give them lots of choices (including whether or not and how to go to
school, of course)
   Give them lots of freedom, respect, and a few responsibilities too!   
   Fun vacations!
   Lots of pets, lots of books, lots of art supplies
   Lots and lots of love and understanding

different:

   Adopt (some of them)
   Raise them someplace that I LOVE! (I resent my parents for not doing
this)
   Have a local community
   Try to be more open about sex
   Not constantly be working or watching TV
   Not cart them around in a car all the time
   Not give them too many toys
   No commercial food
   Live someplace where they don't need to depend on me to get around
   Be more physical and cuddly and hugging, at least until they stop me.

Julie(lipse

same:

Love them unconditionally and patiently
Never physically punish them
Read to them constantly
Listen to them

different:

Push them a little harder to take risks and meet new people
Not drink

Mitchell

Wow.. I was thinking about writing down some of my thoughts on this subject just the other day. I truly love my parents and would be too afraid to ever go and turn back time to make them different, even if I could. But there are things I would do differently...

be more open about menstruation and puberty my mom has always been this way about eating habits and other body-things, so why not about puberty? it's such a scary time that extra-supportiveness is very neccesary
have more time to play games. this is a hard one my parents both work, and one has a disease that (duh) means that she doesn't always have the energy to play. but have more time to play games, even when the kids are big.
read more together, out loud. we did this a lot when i was small, but once again, another thing that sort of disappeared when I grew older.
give them a choice about school/no school. even if it is like with my parents, and homeschooling us at a young age was fairly impossible, at least give them a choice once they are old enough to be home alone.
adopt
have more animals
talk out problems together

but things I'd do the same..

be reasonable
be very relaxed, down-to-earth with them; treat them like equals
take care of them and not be afraid to help them when they need it conversely, not be afraid to let them alone when they are doing fine and exploring
give lots of love and hugs constantly
take them to tons of fun, interesting, places museums, parks, forests, cities, libraries, and let them explore
give them someone to be with (I have always had my brother I can't imagine how lonely I would be as an only child)
give them older people to be with and learn from (I have always had my older sister)
let them make big messes when they are learning, and keep pieces of "junk" because it makes them so happy
give them lots of open space to run around in
show them new things all the time

I could probably go on forever. When I think about it, I am just crazy about my family. Mari

Relax and realise that offspring aren't yours forever, to keep in your pocket...but a rare flower to look at and wonder about and delight in.

~wind~

If I have kids..

We will have scheduled days where you can't use the computer or watch TV
They will receive a weekly allowance and a small amount of money which they'll donate to the charity of their choice

Emma