donforrester1947 posted: " Sometimes I think I've forgotten more than I now know. Years ago, I often made reference to research that substantiated that children who have at least five adults actively involved in their lives offering support, nurture and l" Carpe Diem
Sometimes I think I've forgotten more than I now know. Years ago, I often made reference to research that substantiated that children who have at least five adults actively involved in their lives offering support, nurture and love are better equipped to negotiate the demands of adulthood than children who don't.
It is not as though the thought came out of the clear blue. It was Thursday night football in Sealy. That is code for the ninth-grade team. Like his older brother, William, who had garnered the reputation of having a "Big Willie Fan Club", Jake isn't far behind in his shoes.
Seriously, how many ninth graders have seven out of town observers, along with scores of extended family members who live in town at a Thursday night game? Of course, the Sealy Tigers were matched against their long-time rivals, the Bellville Brahmas. That made the 52-to-32 victory for the Tigers seem even more special.
It is to Craig and Becky's credit that extended family members and friends who live out of town have the kind of connection with them that their children also benefit from the support and nurture they intuitively provide.
Of course, as a Baby Boomer, I grew up in an environment where the outcome of successful parenting had some relationship to one's kids staying out of trouble and doing well in school. By the way, my generation married significantly younger than youth today.
In the 1960s, the average age of a woman's first marriage was 20.3 years and that of men was 20.8 years. The General was 19 and I was 21. I jokingly say that if she had killed me when she first thought about it, she would be out of prison by now. That has to be a bitter pill to swallow.
Actually, murder hasn't been on a list that either of us ever considered. Today, 70% of couples choose to cohabitate rather than marry and 40% of children born are born to unwed parents. The demographics around marriage and it's perceived value has changed significantly.
One of the other big differences between today and when I graduated from college is that most single people cannot afford to live by themselves. I have a friend with three children that recently graduated from college. Two of them share the cost of an apartment with a friend in order to afford the rent. The third child still lives with at home with her parents.
Okay, so I'm off-track. Ours is a world turned upside down. Children that have at least five adults actively involved in their lives offering support, nurture and love are better equipped to negotiate the demands of adulthood than children who don't.
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