@Ivan That’s a fair statement. Just understand that:
”Had she been a better parent from the outset…”
…means that she was less-than-the-optimal parent, in your opinion. I understand that worse does not equal bad, but my mind automatically goes there.
@YARNLADY I’m going to disagree with you there. I think we can all assume that environment plays as large a part of development as parental guidence, correct? In many cases, it doesn’t matter how loving your parent is; how model their techniques are. If surrounded by poverty, criminal activity, gangs, drugs and violence, I’m going to say that a child is just as likely to get involved with these things (even if just experimenting) as a child from a broken home, as I’ve seen it happen. As an invincible 16 year old, it wasn’t a case of whether I felt the social tug or need to sell drugs – that is, that I felt the need to do such things in order to be accepted. I did it because it was there, and I felt rebellious (as my mother instilled in me that these things are bad) doing so. Does that make her a bad parent because, of my own volition, I choose to sell drugs and do dangerous runs? No, it was my own stupidity as a 16 year old that thought he knew the world around him, disregarding all life lessons and wisdom my mother taught and offered me.
On a more extreme and far more opinionated note, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that children with a model household are more brazen and likely to experiment with criminal activity than one from a broken home if surrounded by it, as they feel different. But again, that’s just my own personal experience and opinion talking. (not to mention way off topic)