It is every man for himself in this world,....!

[Mr. Ed]

why exactly do so many people our age seem to prefer to steer away from difficult questions?

I'm not avoiding or steering away from so-called tough questions, I simply asked, for my sake, to state the purpose of an obscure question prior to member's input. Baiting readers with a question or statement to find out later the motive behind the question is much deeper than the question itself.

I enjoy intriguing and deep conversations as much as anyone, but you are right. I lose patience reading through various posts that do not get to the point and that's on me. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Getting back to parents, specifically fathers. My dad was a narcistic coward who stayed away from home and family because, according to his last words before passing, my mother made him feel like a child because she was smarter than him.

When dear dad was home, tension was great. Dad was a bully who leaped at any opportunity to prove himself lord and king, even though he took orders from the queen. I wanted to follow in his footsteps by becoming a minister before I understood him better later in life.

My point, parents can mess their children up in so many ways for lack of positive parenting skills. While children grown or otherwise try to sort things out for themselves; some do, some don’t and some can’t.

Enough of my bitterness, just saying sometimes parents should not be parents. But where would that lead us?

 

[grahamg]

I'm not avoiding or steering away from so-called tough questions, Break
When dear dad was home, tension was great. Dad was a bully who leaped at any opportunity to prove himself lord and king, even though he took orders from the queen. I wanted to follow in his footsteps by becoming a minister before I understood him better later in life.
My point, parents can mess their children up in so many ways for lack of positive parenting skills. While children grown or otherwise try to sort things out for themselves; some do, some don’t and some can’t.
Is life worth the effort, grahamg-"It's every man for himself" Yes! Who but I am in charge of myself?

I'll accept what you say about your father, not least because I know some men who behave exactly as you describe, (one I'm thinking of isn't a father, as no woman appears to want him luckily!).
However, there are no manuals for "positive parenting skills" I'd trust, and it is the uniqueness of the parent to their own child that matters, (and vice versa obviously). If there is love being shown between them then intrinsic to this close relationship is its uniqueness, hence it isnt formed upon the basis of the thoughts of others in their books, no matter how expert they might be!