Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Good kids, Bad kids.

As usual, Xmas brings out mixed feelings for me. I like the "old timey" Xmas things, like REAL trees and family get togethers, but the holiday also makes me a little morose. Point in hand; the wife and I have six kids. Out of that six, I would say that four are pretty decent people but one is a horrible little wretch and the other isn't anything to brag about. So, 4 out of six successes ain't bad, right? That's at least better than a 50% average. Of course, this is part of trying to put an evaluation on our parenting, problematical, I know. So, how have you all done? All great kids or a few stinkers? Just curious in relation to OUR "success" ratio.

Got 3 myself and can't say anything bad about any of them. But what I wanted to say is , don't blame anybody for how a child turns out. You do your best and then it us up to them . I have a friend who has twins , both boys, one is a nice young guy got a nice girlfriend and is on track to go far. Works and makes his own car payments and seems to be a good kid when I see him . The other is a demon , always in some kind of trouble , has wrecked a car and has no ambition at all , thinks he is entitled to everything and shows no one and nothing any respect. Always trying to belittle his brother and would kick the cat if it pissed him off. And yet these two were raised by the same people in the same house eating the same food. Go figure, I think outside influences play a big role these days and can reak havoc on a home in some cases. It's like some people have a drink and turn into drunks and some have a drink and decide they don't care for it and never drink again and these two people can be from the same family , why heck they can even be twins.

Yeah, sure, I agree. Another case in point. My uncle has 8 kids. They range in "great" to "pretty good" people. But ONE of them is a hell raiser, and is terrible to the rest of his family. They all hate to see him coming. He's not even allowed up to our "family" property without escort from his Dad, who keeps trying to straiten him out. Just curious if other familys on here have these kinds of things.

Yeah, I'm the the Black Sheep. But all the other sheep are dipped in shite and got there nose so far up each other arses they ant see how bad they really are toward the rest of the world.

Well, I have to acknowledge a lot of pain with this one.
Been married to my second wife 22 years... brought up her son, now 26 , as best I could.....he's turned out an utter waste.....won't work, won't get out of bed, contributes nothing to our household....just wants to play the computer....this coming year either he goes or I go.....I think, sadly, it may be me...mum dotes on him and can see no wrong.
My daughter has worked since she was 16....is happily married and a joy to be around.
Her mum and I ,though divorced 10 years before I remarried, brought her up between us as though we were still together.... cooperatively and without rancour.
Both kids were loved and treated the same by us,all.

Wife and I have been married 29 years this Christmas Eve. We were told we could not have kids. After 8 years of marriage miracle number one our son Christian was born and just turned 21 December 7th. Our daughter Kate is 15 and little miss mature. Little ****** cost me 23 years of no bike. (thinking this was my mistake.) Anyway Chris has a good heart, but needs to grow up. When he is working he shows commitment, but has not held a job long term. I think mom dotes on them too much thinking we would never have children. Me? after Kate was born I went to the doctor and said, "no more Miracles."

Chris has not direction, but on the other hand also knows it all.

Verdict still to come.

Which brings us back to:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hLpE1Pa8vv...icy=3&rel=0

my wife and I raised 3 girls, all grown now with their own families. it certainly was not easy, each with very different personalities, but they all seem to have turned out pretty good.

on the other hand, out of my siblings, all raised by the same parents in the same house, is one brother who has always been in trouble. trouble is school, trouble with the law, trouble with drinking and drugs, etc... you name it, if its was a bad idea he is doing it. so why one bad apple?

I've been a bachelor for twenty years with no children, but I do have an awesome hunting dog.
I grew up in a Irish Catholic white trash conservative military home, five sisters and three brothers. I'm the oldest son and black sheep of the the family and I'm a f-ing boy scout.
All my family seems to be professionals or self employed (not necessarily rich) with a few exceptions. One sister was in Federal prison, but it was for bank fraud so I forgave her. All my nieces and nephews are great with the exception of one, she's studying Russian in Moscow, I suspect her of voting Democrat!

And I'm the white sheep in my family...one older brother has been a professional scammer of big businesses...one younger brother an alcoholic....recovering these last three years...neither of them ever done a days honest work.
Me?.. psychotherapist retired recently after 25 years working in a charity with child trauma survivors.....

There's an old Aussie song by a bloke called Chad Morgan with a line in it,

"And the biggest disappointment in the family was me"

Sums it up really.

A song by Merill Haggard, I'm the only Hell my Mama ever raised. Not me of course. LOL

Just me and my little brother, with 7 years between us. I was the awkward, "smart" one, and always a mechanical jack of all trades when I didn't have a book in my hand. Love philosophy, religion and psychiatry also. My little brother was the "cool" one. Popular, good looking, smooth, played in a band for years, bounced around from job to job (so did I). When he told me he landed a job in the maintenance dept of a school system, I nearly fell off my chair. We never really had anything in common, as I was family orientated and affectionate. My brother, not so much. Always distant. The trouble with him I suppose began because he always hung out with the cool people. Drinking and partying, and eventually a minor drug dealer. The alcohol finally destroyed him and he died utterly alone at age 45. But I always loved my brother, couldn't help it, I suppose. After talking to his friends in later years I knew that he always secretly admired and respected me. Still miss him even though he rarely showed any affection towards me. I still tear up when I think of him and his unfortunate end.

Sometimes it's the derelicts in our lives that teach us the most.