Bellwether Social Media trial

[Evan B]

What you can't really do is make them into a good person or make them into what you want them to be. You can't make them thrive. Parents don't create ethical, moral, happy, sucessful children. They can only attempt to give that person all the tools that hey can for them to become those positive things. Honestly, I think too much effort to shape a kid will more likely than not end up with you scarring them. They come out who they are in a lot of ways.

This is it right here. I came into my step-son's life when he was 7, and the whole thing the last 10yrs has been a whole lot different than I thought parenting would be. Like you say - you think you can shape them and make them into your vision, and boy do some parents try, but the results aren't what you're going to hope for. I know I for one was very resistant to what was expected of me.

I'll say it becomes especially difficult once they hit their mid to late teens. They are going to do their own thing - the best you can do is give them the tools, like you say, to eventually figure it out. You have to let them make their own mistakes, you have to let them experience things in a way that works for them. Any effort beyond that is going to have an equal, opposite reaction.