For liberal parents: How do you raise your children?

Question

I was prompted to post this question after I read a question (or rant) from a conservative poster who suggested that overly permissive liberals were making the US an unfit place to raise children. I would like to know how the liberal parents here raise their children. What values do you teach your children? How do you discipline them? I would like details, please.

Answer 1

I think I know about that other question your talking about (lol).

I raised 3 children alone. They are now adults,with children of their own. Because I have 1 daughter and 2 sons,I raised my sons to respect woman,no matter who they are. They were not going to grow up selling drugs,and doing drive-by's. They had to be responsible for their own actions,and whatever I taught them,they had to pay attention. My daughter had to be a lady at all times. She had to respect herself,first and never let a man tell her what to do.or how to live her life. I taught my children how to protect themselves in the streets,how to protect themselves from sexual abuse,and exploitation. I bought the condoms,birth control pills,and gave them advise on how to use them. I taught them when to walk away,and when to stand up and be recognized. My children were not allowed to fight each other,but to protect each other. They had to do chores,homework,then outside activites,and everyone had to be indoors before 10pm,but they were usually home by 8. Yes my kids got spankings,but not very often. They basically did what they were told,until they were old enough to understand,that there were certain duties they had to perform,then they natually did them. My children don't drink,smoke,do drugs,nor do they associate with those who do.

My daughter is a Medical Assistant. She works for a Pediactric Dentist. She has a son.
My oldest son is the Head Sales Consultant for a Telecommunications Company. He has a daughter.
My youngest Son is in the US Army,stationed in Ft. Cambell,Ky. He has a son and a daughter.

There was no magic in raising my kids,but there was a lot of love!.

Answer 2

I'm a liberal, and a Christian. I have raised my children to love themselves and each-other, to live as people of value and virtue and to realize that all people, including themselves, fall short of perfection and rely on the grace and forgiveness of others. We all make mistakes and we're all in the process of "becoming".

My children have always respected me and they have always done their best to cooperate with me. We have always been a close family, and we talk about anything and everything.

I'm in favor of corporal punishment when there's a very good reason for it, but I've only ever had to resort to that twice in 18 years, and both times was to prevent my children from getting into situations that had the potential to hurt them irreparably. I believe that if a parent is consistent and loving, corporal punishment will rarely if ever be required.

I have raised my children to put God first in their lives, and to love others as God loves them. I have taught them that material success is fading and that real success is a matter of the heart and the spirit. I have taught them to seek what's true, selflessly and uncompromisingly.... but to meet people where they are, as God meets us where we are.

Answer 3

I can answer in terms of how I was raised (I don't have children):

I was raised to go to church on Sundays. To call my mother at work when I got home from school each day. To not talk to strangers or take anything from them. To not curse (in my house, even the word "darn" was considered a curse). To try my hardest in school. To call home if I was going to stay out later than expected. To wear clothing that wasn't too racy, or short, or tight. To respect people, even if I didn't agree with them. To call my elders Mr. or Mrs. (and I still call Mom's coworkers Mr. or Mrs., as well as people I grew up going to church with). To speak my mind. To not be afraid to question authority, yet to not say outright that they were wrong. To accept differing points of view and discover the truth for myself.

I think I was grounded once in my life, for a 2-week period. I got a few spankings when I was younger, but I wasn't beaten. I was a pretty good kid, actually, so I wasn't punished nearly as severely as my friends and classmates were.

I wasn't told to leave home when I decided I had too many questions about religion to keep praticing it. I didn't turn into an alcoholic or a chain-smoker. I'm not a druggie.

And I've been able to, in the space of just five years, swallow my pride and move back to my mother's, work 2 jobs in order to pay off a debt I'd accrued, move into an apartment, buy a car, and buy a home.

Yup, that sounds like my mother assisted in making America an unfit place to live, huh?

Answer 4

I am an indulgent parent. By indulgent, i mean I give my children all the attention they want and I don't allow them to do things that will harm them. I teach them to get along with other people and do not force them to 'perform' for my benefit.
Consequently, they have developed their own drive to succeed and are successful.

I haven't disciplined since they were very little - a single swift swat to the reset button (located on the behind) got their attention when I needed to get it.

Answer 5

We reared our children to respect others and their divergent views. We taught them the value of a dollar. We practice our religion but encouraged them to have an open mind and select whatever suits their needs. Of course we prefer that it be a Christian religion. We discouraged permiscuity and were strict with curfews. We made sure that they didn't get stuff just because the other kids had them. Every night right after school was time for homework. No TV or video games until homework was done. (3 A students) We encouraged them to seek knowledge and be curious about the world and appreciate the diversity that is all around us. While we believe we have the greatest country and greatest culture in the world they were taught that ours is right for us and someone else's culture and beliefs are right for them and we should not condemn someone who believes different from us. If we understand them, maybe we can help them understand our culture and beliefs and convert them. Forced conversion is not something that lasts because it is under duress.
Discipline depended on the offence. From sitting and looking at each other when they had a spat to paying for something they broke. Popping a hand for emphasis and saying no when the toddler got into books or glass items on a table. And we did spank. We never beat the kids but a few swift swats on the behind for emphasis usually did the trick. Above all if we said we were going to do something to punish them we did it not just warned and then didn't.
Plenty of hugs and kisses, soccer games and praise for awfully drawn pictures to help build self esteem. Take responsibility for their decisions and their actions.Self reliance to be able to cope when we aren't around. Support their activities even if those activites bore us. (show we care)

Of course there is more to rearing children than this but that is all I have now.

So called lib.

Answer 6

My son, now 6 1/2 was raised in a loving home. I had the pleasure of being able to stay at home with him until he started school and his teacher says it is obvious. He was read to on a daily basis, taught about morality and God, and was never struck. He is well behaved and very caring. He can recite the Preamble to the Constitution from memory, knows all the words to the National Anthem (all the verses), and reads at a 3rd grade level.

What I find funny is that "the bully" in his class is the son of our Republican state representative.

Answer 7

I was raised by liberal parents. I can tell you how I was raised..

I was encouraged to get good grades in school. When I acted up I was pushed for it. They taught me to be responsible for my actions, also they taught me to respect other people and to treat all people fairly and equally. We went regularly to synagogue. I would like to point out that I have never taken drugs nor did I drink when I was underage. I never had promiscuous sex, because I was taught to respect myself. My parents were always and are always there when I need them.

I would like to also point out that having liberal parents has nothing to do with how you discipline a child. I would also like to point out that my parents never did drugs nor do they drink alcohol, they have been happily married for 42 years.

I have been married for over 6 years and I have my Bachelors and my Masters degree. I have my liberal parents to thank to brought me up in a very loving house-hold.

Answer 8

I would consider my parents on the Liberal side. I went to Catholic school for a while then public school. I wouldn't consider myself poorly raised. I'm going to college now and I believe my parents raised me, my brother, and my sister just fine. Never gotten in to any major trouble, maintain good grades, and I don't drink or smoke. I couldn't have asked for a better upbringing.

EDIT: I like how nobody is answering the question... Plus, I just completely made the statement by the first post look completely inaccurate. Plus, that really makes him look like an idiot.

Answer 9

I raise my kids (and now my Grandchildren) with love. I take them to church on Sundays and to Religious instruction classes, I say prayers with them every night and Grace before meals. They go to school every day and I help them with homework. I encourage them to participate in positive extracurricular activities. I coach Little League Baseball and go to Volleyball and football games as well as Cub Scout activities. My (grand)children earn their allowance by doing assigned chores. When they don't mind or get in trouble I usually ground them or take away privileges. I lead by example and pass on my values.

Answer 10

I just wanted to say that God Bless up there has really convinced me to NOT vote Republican. What an clueless ********...

As for me... YES, I do have a mouth like a sailor, but I do not talk that way in front of my son. Really he has needed very little in the way of discipline in his short life. He is a straight A student at his school, is in gifted and talented classes. He is very courteous to adults and teachers. He sticks up for kids that are picked on and harassed. He believes in fairness, equality and compassion for the less fortunate.
He also thinks Bush is a horrible horrible President.