What Kind of Parent Are You?
I heard an NPR story a few years ago that stuck with me. It asked the question: What kind of parent are you: carpenter or gardener? I was definitely a carpenter parent (as most Mormons are). I was molding my children to be exactly what I wanted them to be. now I think gardening is a great metaphor for parenting. you provide structure and nutrition, but you give a lot of leeway for however the plants want to grow and turn out.
From the article: "The 'carpenter' thinks that his or her child can be molded. 'The idea is that if you just do the right things, get the right skills, read the right books, you're going to be able to shape your child into a particular kind of adult.' she says.
"The 'gardener,' on the other hand, is less concerned about controlling who the child will become and instead provides a protected space to explore. The style is all about 'creating a rich, nurturant but also variable, diverse, dynamic ecosystem.'"
