A．Other parents say yes and I say no. B．I love you, but……
第三篇
Children and
Parents Do parents owe their children something Yes, they
owe them a great deal. One of their chief obligations is to give
their children a sense of personal worth, for self-esteem is the basis of good
mental health. A youngster(青少年)who is constantly made to feel stupid and
unworthy, constantly compared to brighter brothers, sisters, or cousins, will
become so unsure that he (or she) won’t try at all. Of course, they should
be corrected when they do wrong; this is the way children learn. But the
criticisms should be balanced with praises, perhaps with a smile and a kiss. No
child is ever too old to be hugged(拥抱). Parents owe their
children firm guidance and consistent discipline. It is frightening for a
youngster to feel that he is in charge of himself; it’s like being in a car
without brakes(制动器,刹车). The parent who says "no" when other parents say "yes"
sends a double message. He is also saying: "I love you, and I am ready to risk
your anger, because I don’t want you to get into trouble."
Parents owe their children a comfortable feeling about their body, and
enough information about sex to balance the misinformation that they will surely
receive from their friends. Parents owe their children a set of solid values
around which to build their lives. This means teaching them to respect the
rights and opinions of others; it means being respectful to eiders, to teachers,
and to the law. The best way to teach such values is by example. A child who is
lied to will lie. A child who sees his parents steal tools from the factory will
think that it is all right to steal.
What is the "double message "a parent sends to his children when he says "no"
A．Other parents say "yes" and I say "no." B．I love you, but you have to obey me. C．I don’t care what other parents say: in my house this will not do. D．I love you, but I have to let you know what is good for yon.
