'I guess he gained quite a lot of confidence,' Elaine ventured to say to Kittredge's mom, who'd simply shrugged.
Mrs. Kittredge had an insouciant shrug, one can only wonder if he was born with it, or if--after her husband had left her for a younger but indisputably less attractive woman-- she'd developed an instinctive indifference to any kind of rejection.
Mrs. Kittredge matter-of-factly told Elaine that she'd slept with her son 'as much as he'd wanted to,' but only until Kittredge demonstrated a lack of fervor or a wandering sexual attention span".
This is not the only example of protection shown in this novel. Kittredge's sexual confidence gain parallels an experience Billy, the main character has. The local librarian and a close friend of Billy's was Billy's first love at thirteen. When Billy revisits the library at age 18, the librarian proceeds to seduce him multiple times, in order to help him gain sexual confidence.
Parents today certainly baby their children. Bullying protection programs are running rampant throughout the country, many parents agree with a controlling and directed parenting style, and overall parents attempt to form and mold their children the way that they want them.
Does this work in modern society? Should we allow our children to proceed with minimal direction and only guidance from parental figures, or should we attempt to put them in their place and show them what is right and what is wrong?
The term "Tiger Mom" is one that has gained household significance in the past few years. It refers to the Asian women raising their children in America, who push the children to study math and science, practice violin and piano, and play tennis until their fingers are numb from holding the racket. These women are also engaging in a form of protection-they wish to protect their children from the hardships of being only mediocre. Unfortunately, these parents are also harming their children, much like Mrs. Kittredge. The children of tiger moms feel stressed all the time, are never happy with any grade less than an A, and are scarred through their years of adulthood. Obviously, Kittredge's mother left a lasting impact on him, and one that was harmful to not only Kittredge, but also to his peers.
ReplyDeleteNot only the overbearing mother, like the Tiger mom, but the over protective mother. The mother who babies their children. Tiger mothers usually have a goal for their children, and want them to succeed. Children who are babied usually never learn how to fend for themselves. Kids end up relying on their parents for the rest of their life, and do not understand how to live independently.
DeleteThere is a fine line, I believe, between loving care and overbearing strictness. The debate on how to parent is always popular and questionable, and every mother has their own philosophy. The way to parent is something of extreme importance though. It determines the fate of the next generation; it determines the life of another person.