There are many well intended experts and authors who put forth good ideas for the development of children including direct involvement in all the activities of their children. Attention to child development by parents is especially important today because we need something to offset the encroachment of radical ideologies being fed to children as education when it is really just indoctrination.
But herein is a problem. We live in an age when nearly every adult believes they must join in the fun of children--for the benefit of the children. Most adults have been immersed in this idea that they must participate in all the activities of their children has been going on for so long that there are only a few of us who can recall any other way of rearing children.
In one recent article, a small child is shown in a close-up photo handling a chicken's egg fresh out of the hencoop. Know what else is in the photo? Yup, the hand of an adult--- not the adult, just the hand of an adult. The child was obviously not allowed to be inquisitive on its own. Someone was there to provide details. Not good.
Then in another article on teamwork there was a artist's drawing of team members enraptured by the antics of the adult coach. Nothing wrong with this in my mind, except why not on occasions at least, show a team of children enraptured by a fellow team member demonstrating leadership --adults remaining in the bleachers.
There are some who get the idea. Yesterday we were in a public library Friends Bookstore and on one end of the room, there was a mother and her daughter. The mother was looking for books for herself, and the little daughter was on the floor with several children's books scattered on the carpet. Both were deep into their mission in the bookstore. Note that mother was not on the floor with the child pointing out pictures and interpreting the story for her daughter. Both were capable on their own without any help.
We are in danger of creating a whole bunch of young adults that have never solved a societal problem on their own and will always be looking for some else to guide them on how to think. Thats the way sheep are developed, so be careful.
