The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 3 of 6)

p> KIDS TODAY -- AND NOT TOMORROW br> Re: Ben Stein's The Daddy Trap : /p> p>My wife and I are lucky to have William (7) and Bailey (4). Ages when they smother you with attention-getting antics, stunts, messes, and problems. Ben Stein's article hits right to the heart of it, God lends you children for a brief period of years. Enjoy them! br> -- David A. Craddock , CPA /p>

Good God, Ben, this is pathetic stuff. Your kid is trying to establish a sense of his own identity, and it is not going to be easy when he has been so smothered by billows of unconditional love. Your love for your son is a wonderful thing, but get a grip on yourself. He is not you. He has his own life to live. For heaven sake, allow him his space if you want a good relationship during all the many years to come. Over the years it has been excruciating to me to read your brutally honest descriptions of how you brought up the boy, and think there is no way this will come out well.

Let's hope I am wrong. Kids need rules, expectations, boundaries, not and endless self-indulgent lavishing of affection which is more about the parent feeling good about himself than it is about the kid's developmental needs.

p>God Bless You, and good luck! br> --

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