Synthesis Essay

A different approach to respectful parenting is shown in "The Most Powerful Question a Parent Can Ask" by Neil Millar, comparing itself to "Be-ers and Doers" by Budge Wilson. They are equally respectful to their children but they show it differently. The first believes that a child should be given tasks throughout their childhood that build as they grow up. The second parent loves her children, but trys to force them down a path that she wants for them, not what they want. This shows a little less respect.

In "The Most Powerful Question a Parent Can Ask", the mother says "Do you want strong, loving children, who understand and accept responsibility for their self and the ones they love?" Parents who want this will put structure in their child's lives and keep them busy. This will create a well rounded, self sufficient being.

The mother in "Be-ers and Doers" wants her son Albert to be a doer like herself. But it doesn't work that way "Because Albert was a be-er. Born that way." After preventing their house to burn down his mother says that she is finally proud of him. But she is proud of what she wants him to be. He retorts with, "I ain't gonna be what you want. I'm gonna be me." The moral of the story is you will never be happy being what your not. Although this mother loves her children, she wants them to be something they are not and she must accept this or lose them.

More respectful parenting to raise a respectable person is shown better in "The Most Powerful Question a Parent Can Ask" by Neil Millar. In "Be-ers and Doers" by Budge Wilson, the mother doesn't respect her children for who they are because she wants them to be like herself. She shows her love but this one aspect can end up losing her children's respect for her.