First off I want to say Erica Lynn I love your parenting style... I got to remember the door one.
I don't do for my kids what they can do for themselves because to do so would mean they couldn't live without me. My brother went through this. Growing up he was told he wasn't good in school and as a result he received special treatment in school, ie tests read to him. My mother helped out so much that when he only received a B on his homework assignment she was very put out, in reality it was her B as she did the assignment for him. She did everything for him. Once he moved north to take Forest Tech he didn't have mommy to do his homework so he had to. Results - B average. Then he decided to upgrade his math and physics so he could get a BC Hydro Lineman Apprenticeship. In a very short time he finished his Math 12 and Physics 12 and another I think, guess what - B average all on his own. Too bad they didn't let him do it in high school, he may have been successful quicker and a lot more sure of his intellectual abilities.
My mom did so much for him that at the age of 27 or so when he needed to get his forms and resume in to BC Hydro she gathered them all up and asked her sister to submit them for him because mom had to go out of town. Her sister told her that he was a big boy now and could find his own jobs.
There were times when mom was visiting and my brother would call to ask how much in his chequing account... I could go on and on. The good news is though that since BC Hydro has had him living in areas away from her he's gotten very self sufficent.
I do not want my children to be like this. I want them to have the skills they need to into the world with their head held high and if I died tomorrow they'd still be successful. After all I'm their parent, its my job to teach them how to be sufficent independent successful adults.
