Parents of Preschoolers  Discussion Forum

What happens to people who were sheltered by their parents as kids when they grow up? Hetal replied. They never really grow up all the way. My older sister was sheltered by pretty much everyone in her life, especially our mother. She was beautiful even as a child, and she learned very early on that she could get away with anything. Grownups looking at that angel face just couldn?t believe a child who looked like that could be nasty, mean or dishonest. She figured out that being beautiful meant she was special?that her looks entitled her to things others had to work for. She came to see her beauty as a personal achievement, not a random happening. It was obvious to her that she was superior, and she took great pride in being superior. It meant she could treat other people any way she pleased, especially ?ugly? people. She was a very poor student?school to her was a social life rudely interrupted by education. She was going to marry a millionaire, punch out beautiful perfect babies, and live a beautiful perfect life. So she ignored all attempts to teach her, as education was unnecessary for her. And her teachers let her coast?they?d give her a bare passing grade even though she never did the work because just like her, they figured she?d never have to work for a living. She emerged from high school at the end of 12 years, still profoundly ignorant, with no life skills whatever, totally convinced that her face and figure were all she would ever need?everything else would just fall into her lap. So, where is she now? She?s 62 years old, lives in a broken-down trailer with her abusive alcoholic husband, who rations her food and cigarettes, and controls what little money she gets from the government. She?s estranged from her daughter, our father and I, the only family she has left. She never had a career, just a succession of dead-end jobs. She won?t watch the news?it?s too scary. She?s computer-illiterate, which is probably a good thing?she?d be a catfish?s dream if she had any money. So being sheltered poisoned her whole life. She?s a pretty child in the body of a worn-out senior, still wondering how it all went wrong.They never really grow up all the way. My older sister was sheltered by pretty much everyone in her life, especially our mother. She was beautiful even as a child, and she learned very early on that she could get away with anything. Grownups looking at that angel face just couldn?t believe a child who looked like that could be nasty, mean or dishonest. She figured out that being beautiful meant she was special?that her looks entitled her to things others had to work for. She came to see her beauty as a personal achievement, not a random happening. It was obvious to her that she was superior, and she took great pride in being superior. It meant she could treat other people any way she pleased, especially ?ugly? people. She was a very poor student?school to her was a social life rudely interrupted by education. She was going to marry a millionaire, punch out beautiful perfect babies, and live a beautiful perfect life. So she ignored all attempts to teach her, as education was unnecessary for her. And her teachers let her coast?they?d give her a bare passing grade even though she never did the work because just like her, they figured she?d never have to work for a living. She emerged from high school at the end of 12 years, still profoundly ignorant, with no life skills whatever, totally convinced that her face and figure were all she would ever need?everything else would just fall into her lap. So, where is she now? She?s 62 years old, lives in a broken-down trailer with her abusive alcoholic husband, who rations her food and cigarettes, and controls what little money she gets from the government. She?s estranged from her daughter, our father and I, the only family she has left. She never had a career, just a succession of dead-end jobs. She won?t watch the news?it?s too scary. She?s computer-illiterate, which is probably a good thing?she?d be a catfish?s dream if she had any money. So being sheltered poisoned her whole life. She?s a pretty child in the body of a worn-out senior, still wondering how it all went wrong.