You are full of yourself.
And nobody is impressed.
Thanks, ma'am for your condescension and gratuitous advice. Her's the report on my children, raised and proven. They were not cosseted:
o Son 1 - No college degree; a self-taught CNC manufacturing engineer sought by Perkin-Elmer Corp, Norwalk Conn; much-liked and effective therew; died on CT highways in 1985.
o Son 2 - No college degree; Director of Management Information Services for a large Mitsubishi operation in the US, back and forth to Japan and Europe several times; 5 children; his daughter finished Regent U, now married to MK; his son studying mechanical engineering at Un. of Ill.
o Son 3 - Put himself through Illinois Institute of Technology in civil engineering; chosen to give the graduation address for his engineering class; B. S., M. S.; founded his own civil engineering company; 10 children; his oldest son representing IIT and the US for engineering competition in Poland this year. Home schooler.
o Daughter - Put herself, alone, through exclusive private college; V. P. of PNC Bank; many years as computer analyst, consultant, corporate merger teams, HR management; 4 children; widow due to cancer death of husband; daughter in Fine Arts degree.
Both living sons completed 5 years of service in on-the-road audio/visual technicians with Institute of Basic Life Principles Staff under Bill Gothard, a real education in personal discipline and responsibility -- no beer and pizza there. One needed to get cracking to serve him.
Daughter saw 4 years of hard work in food service for her degree, another exercise in "root, hog, or die" survival.
My wife jumped ship early, I wound up being both dad and ersatz mom to them, whilst a Member of Staff at GE's Semiconductor Products Department, Engineering Division.
And your credentials in raising children are -- ??
(Gave you some of mine, FWIW.)
My dear Miss metmom, I have heard from your "expertise" before in another area. You have no further need to demonstrate your accumulated wisdom in profound topics to me.
With all due respect for your stated opinion(s) -- by all means, do have and express them -- it's a free country. Hope your self-reliance works out for you. Hope your fullness is of yourself and not something else. Leaving the opportunity for you to have the last word.
At your service, ma'am.
Success to FRee Republic! Let Freedom Ring!