Nah, mine are 30 now--I can look back and laugh, and overall I think I got my money's worth.  My point was that it's a good theory that you can pass on your own collected wisdom and knowledge, but that often doesn't work because the young often don't/won't listen (although on some level I do believe they hear).  And in fact I recall my grandmother had said the same thing, about the impossibility of putting an 'old head on new shoulders'.

 

Just because children set aside their parents beliefs doesn't mean they've thrown them away. I think most return to them eventually.

Yup - when they get children of their own. I know, it's bizarre given teenage rebellions and all, but there you have it.

This also raises the question: Are parental beliefs developing and working on a genetical level, sliding underneath the sociocultural, like oceans under continents in tectonics?

Yup - when they get children of their own. I know, it's bizarre given teenage rebellions and all, but there you have it.

This also raises the question: Are parental beliefs developing and working on a genetical level, sliding underneath the sociocultural, like oceans under continents in tectonics?

 

Over my head. But sounded interesting. Try again.

Yup - when they get children of their own. I know, it's bizarre given teenage rebellions and all, but there you have it.

This also raises the question: Are parental beliefs developing and working on a genetical level, sliding underneath the sociocultural, like oceans under continents in tectonics?

I don't remember where I heard this but it was meant to illustrate this very thing, I'm paraphrasing.

 

When children are little they believe in Santa Claus, when they are teens they don't and when they're parents they are Santa Claus.

I do want to be careful with the term 'beliefs' here, because I am more interested in helping my children be tolerant and open-minded than having them follow any specific dogma.  

 

As for being dumb teenagers, my job is to just do my best to make sure they survive the experience.  

Also make sure they learn to take a punch.

 

I may have a solution to that over-population problem you are discussing.

Also make sure they learn to take a punch.

 

This sounds SO bad.

If you're talking figuratively about a punch as 'slings and arrows' (i.e., the inevitable consequences of an ill-considered action), I think the hardest part of parenting is knowing--or rather deciding--when to stop jumping in to take the arrow to the knee yourself.  Yeah, you told them and they didn't listen, and here it comes.  Jumping in to deal with the damage is so ingrained it's second nature--first, because you've already been there done that yourself as a kid; and second, protecting your kids for the past 17-18 years has become your existence.  You've got as many scars as The Nameless One and one more won't matter, but at some point you realize you have to stop trying to reason and stand back, or they'll never learn.  And isn't character defined by adversity?  Regardless that it hurts terribly worse to watch when it's your kids, and even more so than if they'd only listened to age and wisdom ... you have to draw the line somewhere, sometime.  At that point about all you can do is hope that you've done your job well--you gave it your best shot, they've made whatever they will of it, and apparently now they think they're done.  For all your pains, you might even be regarded as a 'controlling' and evil creature.  But you're not a god or a demon; you're still just you, stumbling along without an instruction manual.

It's the biggest relief, and the sweetest sound in the world, to finally hear your own words coming out of their mouths ... as wisdom.

 

Just have this talk with the kids and they will turn out alright: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Vg4uyYwEk