[Sparrow]

I was raised in a Dobson influenced home. I don't know if it was my mom, or what she was trained to think - but everything that she thought I shouldn't do, anything against her opinion was a battle.

You want to dye your hair purple? You're against me.
You don't want to wear pink flowery shirts? You're against me
You don't want to eat all of your dinner? You're against me
You don't want to go to a class to learn how to put on makeup? You're against me.

You want to be a teacher, not a nurse? What? You're against me.

I could write a book.

I do pick my battles with my kids - but I stand firm on things that are for their safety - staying clipped in their carseat, playing in the street, playing outdoors alone, park boundaries....

When they are teens it will also be about their safety - unsafe sex, drugs, being out all hours of the night, stuff like that.

Things that involve their own personal space are not worth the damage to the relationship. I don't care if my kids have mohawks or sweater vests (I'd prefer the mohawks )

The problem is when you start the adversarial mindset when they are young, its hard to shake it. My mom continually saw any disagreement as me picking a fight. It was like she was programmed that way.