This is so much more positive than the takeaway I had reading this article: geez, I'm definitely never having kids. This was a great read.Support your kids. Let them make mistakes.
Ha! Having kids (in the far future) is something that I look forward to, but it definitely terrifies me. Especially knowing the shit that I got into as a teen and articles like this one, or the kids drowning, or accidentally leaving your kid in the car, or whatever. It's going to be like, "Awesome, I made a life and brought into this world!!! :D :D :D" .... "Oh shit. I brought a life into this world. :O" I actively try to take away positive things from any / every experience in life, even the negative or downright inflammatory. Sometimes it is a bit of a stretch. Sometimes it gets ridiculous. But I feel you can learn and add anything to your pile of knowledge—even if it's simply what not to do.
I think most parenting displays these days kind of show more what not to do, than positive influences. Its almost like everyone forgot how to raise decent people. With the attachment parenting or whatever, where you let you kid decide everything for themselves. I don't now who thought this was a good idea. Kids are fucking terrible people, they need someone to shape them into decent, acceptable adults. If they don't, they just turn into selfish, terrible adults.