Musings on “Life Is Not Fair” & Sarah Palin
Politics aside, as I learn more about Sarah Palin, John McCain’s vice presidential running mate, some deep parenting questions surface within my heart.
Governor Palin is a mother of five children. Trig, the four-month-old baby has been diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome. At seventeen years of age, Bristol, her eldest daughter, is expecting a baby this winter.
Despite meticulous planning and enormous efforts, life does not always materialize in the way which we had imagined it would. Undoubtedly, several years ago, Sarah Palin would not have predicted that her family would find itself in its current situation.
I find myself wondering, what would I do if my teenage daughter told me that she was pregnant? How would I react if my teenage son informed me that he was going to become a father? What is the appropriate reaction to the myriad of events that may occur, those that are not in line with our plans for the future?
The bigger question that begs to be asked is: If it can be so challenging for me to deal with life’s various hurtles, it must be even harder for children to deal with disappointments. If parents sometimes get angry or resort to blaming others for the unfairness of life, how can we expect our children to accept all that comes their way with equanimity?
Let us make the assumption that children are not born instinctively understanding and accepting the fact that life is not fair.
“It’s not fair!” is the mantra of all children; and the truth is that life is absolutely unfair- some of us have more blessings than others. What can we parents do to help our children deal with inevitable disappointments that crop up from time to time?
I just got home from a wilderness program for teenage boys. Most of them were sixteen years old and addicted to illegal drugs. Every teenager faces some complications; why is it that some teens are unable to cope with their problems; why do they feel compelled to run away from the predicament and escape to a world of drug or alcohol addiction?
The answer is that that particular child did not know how to deal with disappointment. In all probability, he is not completely at fault; and the culture around him can be blamed.
The need to eliminate disappointment is a reflection of today’s social norms. Recall the commercials featuring a man suffering from severe heartburn after eating a slice of pizza. The next clip shows the same guy polishing off a double-cheeseburger, smiling calmly at the camera as he holds a bottle of white pills that eliminated the symptoms of heartburn. Have you ever wondered what kind of message that sends our children?
Simply stated, the moral of the commercial is this: You do not need to endure pain!
Similar advertisements for pain-relieving pills abound. While I would never discourage one from swallowing some Excedrin to rid yourself of a headache, the reality is that we are living in an unprecedented age of ‘I-should-not-feel-any-pain’.
In fact, some medications are detrimental to reducing a fever, because the higher temperature of the body caused by the fever is actually the vehicle that kills the infection. Popping pills to reduce a fever can sometimes cause the illness to last longer in one’s body.
And so it is with the mind and soul.
Regular pill-popping to reduce heartburn can cause you to ignore the benefits of healthy eating in favor the immediate taste and sensation of pizza and fries.
Swallowing depression-alleviating-tablets can cause you to bypass the source of the sadness, and focus only on eliminating the unpleasant symptoms.
Banishing symptoms can definitely make you feel better. Yet, overlooking the cause of the symptoms virtually guarantees that newer and more dangerous symptoms will arise.
It might be the heart attack due to the blocked arteries stuffed with hamburger remnants, which you were able to eat since your pill eliminated the heartburn. Or, it could be the breakup of a marriage due to nagging feelings of low-self-woth that had been effectively swept under the carpet by depression medication.
The fuse will blow when overloaded by multiple appliances because it is not a good idea for the electricity to overheat and cause a fire. Some people react to a blown fuse by turning off some of their gadgets. Others prefer to ignore the hot fuse, slight aroma of smoke, and singed wires, and keep restarting the fuse until it will no longer operate.
Symptoms are warning bells being sounded. The ringing of the bells are not the problems; the cause of their chiming is the true issue.
Drug and alcohol usage and overly disrespectful behavior are a piercing cry for help. The cause of the cry, not its decibel level, must be addressed. Just as you would not tinker with the fire-house’s bell to battle a raging fire, do not make the mistake of exclusively addressing the child’s behavior when dealing with a teenager in distress.
The child who is addicted to harmful substances, or acting out in inappropriate manners, has not learned to deal with disappointment. Life’s sorrows have overwhelmed her ability to handle distress; therefore she turned to the bottle.
Disappointments come in all shapes and sizes. They begin at birth, when an infant leaves the comfort of the womb with a heart-wrenching cry. Leading an optimistic, cheerful family is no contradiction to teaching your child to expect and realize that life is far from perfect. Allow him to mourn the stolen bicycle or broken toy without rushing out to immediately purchase a replacement to assuage his tears.
When a young child is given the time to mourn, and the gentle touch of comfort to help her through the loss of her favorite doll carriage, she learns a valuable life lesson; how to deal with sadness. She will develop the category in her brain that will serve as a reference to mourn, express sadness, accept the disappointment, and then move onward. She will access this essential skill when she is teased about her braces, dumped by her boyfriend, dismissed from the softball team, and rejected by the college of her choice.
The ability to mourn, accept heartache, and resolutely move ahead is what sets apart the teenagers who thrive from the ones who are slaves to addictions. The children who were taught to deal with the unfortunate events that are part of the package we call ‘life’ will definitely encounter bumps as they grow up. However, they have the strength of character and emotional wherewithal to dust themselves off, and get back on their feet. The other children, who were spoiled by always having Mom or Dad wipe their tears away, handed sweets or expensive toys to wash away the memory of a disappointing event, will be headed for trouble in their teen years. When the cookie or new plaything is no longer able to wash away their sadness, they will be on the lookout for something bigger to allay their distress. And it will be all too easy for them to find it.
So, when your three-year-old cries over the broken red crayon, hold him and say, “I know, sweetie, you really liked that crayon, and now it’s broken. Sometimes disappointing things just happen.” Resist the urge to say, “Oh, Sweetie, don’t worry, Mommy is going to buy you a new crayon right away!” Perhaps you will buy him another crayon; whether you do so or not is totally irrelevant. The important, essential point is that he learned that sad things happen, and they need to be accepted.
It’s a fact: In the course of a happy childhood, the ability to deal with sadness when the child is young, will prevent the scathing pain of addiction when the child has grown older.
When we raise our children we are not looking for the quick-fix pill, rather, for the healing touch that endures forever.
EDIT: As I read some of the comments, I realize that my thought process regarding the linkage of Sarah Palin and dealing with the unfairness of life was not entirely clear.
So, here goes: As I watched the media focus on all of Governor Palin’s personal issues, I wondered where, exactly, one can find a family of seven without any problems??? Then I continued to wonder- does the media think that Sarah Palin made a decisive, conscious choice to have her seventeen-year-old daughter become pregnant? We all know that as much as we’d like to, we cannot control everything that teenagers do these days. Imagine if Governor Palin’s response to Trig’s birth and Bristol’s pregnancy was- ‘Oh, no, my career is over, my life is going to be so difficult from now one, I am a victim of circumstances, this is all so unfair!’ Sarah’s response to the media, (which I can’t locate right now) about giving her daughter love and support throughout the difficulties involved in having a child were my inspiration to write this article. It is refreshing to see someone who can deal with things not going precisely as planned, and still stay strong. I hope that helps:)
I am so disappointed in the judgment I see posted on this site concerning Sara Palin. As a woman, mother and grandmother, I wish I had the stamina and courage and devotion of someone like Sara Palin to be full and strong enough to give of myself not only to my family but to my country. As for her daughter’s pregnancy who among us can cast the first stone? As for her baby’s special needs, this appears to be a mother of strong conviction who does not deserve to be questioned by the likes of any of us – or anyone else for that matter. I respect her and her husband for their decisions. I am surprised at the comments here.
I have real questions about a mom who would not take a chance to regroup and come together instead of parade them on a national stage and use them as an example of why she thinks she can make a difference as a vice president. Just because she is a mother of a special needs child does not make her any more qualified to be a spokesperson and when has the GOP ever supported families and education??? Look at the see of faces – white people trying to act like they are the face of change in America! Go home, ms VP, and take the time and nurturing your family needs.
I don’t think she is parading them. Why should she hide them? Just because she has 5 kids it seems like a “parade”. Sheesh. How do you know they haven’t “regrouped” a family.
“Supported families and education”? What is that supposed to mean? More money poured into the waste of public schools? More grants for free college? More food stamps? What are you talking about? Maybe if people quit trying to get handouts from the government, the government could do it’s real jobs. Does nobody care about the Constitution anymore?
“white people trying to act like they are the face of change” – WOW! I’m sure if they were any other color it would be “REAL”???? So sorry that “white people” are trying to run the country.
At least Sarah and John have large families and probably understand more what REAL life families go through (I’m not talking about finances here)
Everyone keeps making such a huge deal about how she has 5 kids. Well, one if off to the military, one is getting married. Kids are part of life and make us more “real” and less selfish.
I loved the topic of this post. Writing about teaching children how to deal with let-down’s and even bigger problems is not easy to put into words for me, but is an important thing that needs to be discussed.
Another example of wiping away all feelings is someone I know (in their late 30s) who went right onto Prozac when their father died. Rather than mourn and accept the normal sad feelings they went on a drug. Shame on that doctor for prescribing it. The drug didn’t work. The person went off the medication.
Then the eight year old child of his was sad about his grandparent dying. So now the child is in therapy. Interesting how some parents rush a young child to therapy instead of first trying normal parenting techniques right at home. Note that child was shielded from even knowing his grandparent had Cancer, for nearly two years they were lying and hiding the child from his grandparents. Right at the end we were told “it upsets our children too much to see his grandfather sick so we avoid him”. Well after they passed on the family felt regret for not being there when he was alive to help out and to just visit. I recall one conversation when he was still alive where my DH said “it really cheers him up to see his grandchildren, the one thing you can do for him to help him is visit and make his day”. They live 5 minutes away. They refused. They were shielding their children from the pain.
At certain times like a parent or grandparent dying, it is okay to be sad and to mourn. Yet some in America think even this is something to get over with a pill or to start therapy for. I find this so odd. Some are denying normal processes like mourning and think that is an abnormal state to be avoided. I think in America we have a terrible way of dealing with the dying process and death and mourning.
On other topics, I have had trouble adjusting when I found out that despite all my planning and ‘doing things right’ life did not go my way. Stuff happened that was totally out of my control and I could not affect change. The self-help books that espouse that notion of us being totally in control may be damaging us.
Similarly some college grads are upset they are not working at their dream jobs as they did all they were supposed to in public school and in college. They thought they’d walk from graduation to a high paying executive job. Somewhere in their journey no one told them that they have to work up the ladder and work hard to get what they think they deserve.
The set up by some of today’s parents to shield their children from any negativity is a problem. Some articles have been published about the ‘self esteem’ generation who is now in their 20s having trouble at college and in the workforce. The Wall Street Journal did a great article last year on how some expect corporations and businesses to change their ways to give these young people what they need (multiple emailed compliments per day, praise when it is not deserved and so on).
Thanks for the article.
To Christine MM
Thanks for your very insightful post. You brought up some very important topics and got me back thinking on the real purpose of the article
!! I totally agree with you about the kids that expect praise for every little thing and can’t function without it every step of the way. I think the part you wrote about shielding pain is very insightful as well – some others touched on this too. I have taken this and put it in my cap and will try to incorporate this more fully as I raise my children.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/kilkenny.asp
Wow. That article sounds like so many sour grapes–envy, maybe? Anne Kilkenny may be a real person, but I’d definitely check up on her facts.
Just a small one: she claims that Ms. Palin hid her pregnancy for 7 months. Have you seen how small she is? How would that be possible? Even if she did manage that, who cares? What business is it of ours if she’s pregnant?
Please, please read Ellen’s edit at the end of the article. She makes very clear the connection she’s making between Sarah Palin and “it’s not fair!”
I did check up on on her facts. Have you had a chance or are you throwing out speculation that its just sour grapes?
I have to say that I dont think she is falsifying anything. she may not like Palin. I even found out a few things, like rumor has it that Palin’s youngest son was her eldest daughter’s (and again pregnant?)
I read something that said of course her pregnancy isnt any of our business but I believe that had this happened to the other party, that we wold have jumped on the Democrats on morals. I am seeing a little bit of double standard. then I read that he we cant be in her pregnancy business that she should not be in ours, meaning that what is happening may divide the women vote more to Obama, than not. I think people are getting clouded from the politics, just like on this thred.
I am concerned. the more I learn about Sarah Palin, the less impressed I am and am beginning to be concerned about Senator McCain’s choice. Not only for beliefs, but it will further divide the vote, women will now jump more with Obama and it wont be about issues.
Shelli, you checked up on all the facts in that long letter? Ms Palin must be incredible if she changed Wasilla into a wasteland in a few years.
I don’t live in AK any longer, but in Southern California. To call Wasilla a wasteland is showing a very narrow perspective. So much of where I now live *is* a wastland of parking lots, etc, but that doesn’t seem to make people quit voting.
Last, did you check with the hospital for birth records on the rumor that the last baby is actually her daughter’s? Or depend on the media for your facts?
Again: PLEASE READ Ellen’s edit at the end of her article.
I apologize for participating in this alternate discussion. I’ll stop, and hope others will also take the time to look into facts.
maybe you need to re-read my entire post. and not read a line, and then make an assumption.
No I didnt fact check everything. but i didnt take the whole letter and say it was sour grapes. (throwing the baby out with the bath water)
i am making every attempt to make informed decisions.
i never said i didnt agree. i said you were being emotional about your post. and that just like you are being emotional, i hope that other people dont hear one thing and make them vote just becuase of one thing. so in a way, this is not good for the ticket.
what i am readin is that its hurting the female vote. (generalized not personal)
did i say that she had her daughers child
or did i say that i never knew that and am reading more about that. (stating what i am reading)
so yea, I am checking facts. AND I am finding that I have to sift through almost way too much, which is not making me happy. but i need answers for me.
sometimes when there is so much information, facts to shuffle through, the truth gets lost or there is so much to understand that we lose the truth in the midst.
whats funny Cheryl … read the last paragraph.
my comment is that that i still dont like his choice. and that the more I read, the more i dislike his choice.
Does this mean i will vote just becuase I am not liking a VP choice?
but you did exactly what i was thinking that the female vote would do. go on emotion. do we hear something and turn everything stated into what we do or dont want to hear. or can we dissect what is needed to asnwer the question?
Dang Shelli, Chill out. This is an emotional topic for everyone who cares about our country. This discussion had no business in this site at all! I have 2 children who have special needs. I know enough about Repulicans to know that while they maybe good advocates, does not translate as there being funding to help with any of those needs. I have very good insurance. However, if my husband and I were to loose our jobs tomorrow, in a few months, we would not have any insurance at all. I know from being a fomer foster mom, that Medicade does not cover many things . . .various medications, therapies, etc. Are the Republicans ready to put their money where their mouth is? They have not shown it to date. Just like No
Child Left Behind, they will say it will be done, they will make laws but the money will not be there.
Whenever a group that is suppose to be for all, begins discussion someone or something that many people disagree with (religion and politics) there will be many unhappy people on both sides of the fence. Put the blame for this where it belongs, on Ellen who started this discussion in the first place.
Think about what I have said, research it before you blast me because I can back up what I’ve said with facts!
Very very disappointing to read how many people think the government’s job is to give funding to us. LIttle wonder our country is in the financial mess it is in.
Why is their any blame on Ellen for starting this discussion? It is her newsletter and we all have a choice of reading it or not.
Has anyone considered that her family is doing this together? What an amazing and BONDING experience the Palin family is having. Her kids are learning about politics and government in a way I wish my kids could. I was so happy to hear she has filed to home school her 17 year old. It shows me she is in touch with the situation and her daughter’s heart. As far as whether or not she’s capable of home schooling- there are endless resources for her in that area, so no one needs to worry.
Her family shared a warmth toward one another that detached families do not have. They are doing something right. As far as her politics are concerned, I think every politician is an “infomercial.” We never really know what we’re getting until we experience it for ourselves. (But, as the mommy of a little guy with DS, I would LOVE to spend the next four years watching that sweet baby grow up.)
Just my 2 cents-
Emily
This is unfair criticism of Sarah Palin. Service to her country is important. I have a son with mild autism and another with learning issues so that can be consuming. What most Americans (who choose to have 2 or 3 kids – and this is not a judgement call) don’t realize is the BLESSING of large families -did you see the love they have for one another? Can a big sister hold baby Trigg while Mom is at a meeting or on a conference call? Sarah’s husband seems like a dedicated father – why is there nothing written about him? It is a double standard. Her daughter will learn about motherhood the way we all do- on the job -seems like she had a pretty good role model. Sarah has inspired me to be both a better mom and public servant!
Sarah Palin does indeed have 5 children, however one is an adult, one will soon be an adult, her third child is an older teen, that leaves one child and a baby, yes a special needs baby. Her husband is a stay at home dad.
Obama has two young daughters. Is Michelle a stay at home mom?
My mother and father couldn’t handle anything that made them feel like “other than perfect parents”. I got the old, ” you made your bed, now lie in it” routine. After 17 years of drug abuse and 3 bad marriages, I finally accepted that I was loveable, even though I was far from perfect. That was 20 years ago now. Thank God for women like Sarah Palin,who don’t measure success by “is everything going my way”? Success is loving our families through all the tough stuff and letting our children learn to succeed and fail as we love them through it all.
Life is complicated. Even though my kids are just 8 and 11 I have already learned that despite me doing X, Y, and Z that is supposed to be ‘right’ my kids sometimes make their own choices and mess up. My kids have made mistakes, gotten physical injuries due to their chosen stupid actions and had their feelings hurt by other kids due to other choices they made.
With one boy starting puberty I see the difference already with testosterone surges and the power shift happening as he begins to be more of a young man instead of a little boy who listened to what Mama said and complied. I can only imagine, and shudder to imagine, what the teen years will be like. I certainly, despite my best intentions and hard work, can imagine that by age 17 my kids may choose actions that are not right, they most likely WILL take risks of various kinds. They most likely will do things I told them not to do.
Let’s also think back to our own teen years and what we were doing and how it may not have been exactly what our parents tried to teach us about right, wrong, healthy, unhealthy, risky, what was legal, not legal, etc. Is there a person alive who didn’t do something against the rules or something risky in their teen years? I doubt it.
That includes also, people on birth control pills who accidentially forget to take one, people using condoms and it breaks, or those who are improperly using a condom and it leaks or whatever. I know plenty of happy moms whose pregnancies (while married too) were “a surprise” and unplanned as they thought their birth control would work.
Other notion–
Not too long ago people complained that most politicans running for office or in office are old white men. And the Republicans had been slammed by some as being all old white men from the old boys club. Now we have younger men running for office (Obama included) and also a woman. Yet their younger ages mean they are still parents and their lives are more complicated due to that fact. It seems to me that some people in society are talking out of both sides of their mouths and it frustrates me. You want younger politicians, they may have children still under their care. You want women in politics, they will be juggling career with family.
Why is it in our society in the private sector no one complains when a family must up and move due to the husband/father getting a better job at a new company or promoted within his company? Yet if a woman does it why is that is a problem? Does it make a difference if the woman works in the private sector or is an elected official? If so, why? Where is the consistency and the logic?
Books—
I wanted to share that the topic of the danger of trying to shield children from hurt in any way was covered in an excellent book called “The Over-Scheduled Child”. It was first published under a differnt title “Hyper Parenting” the authors are Nicole Wise and Alvin Rosenfeld MD.
Also another book that discusses parenting and these topics of of the danger of shielding children from all harm and not letting them learn to handle adversity is “Ships Without a Shore” by Anne Pierce. It is a very serious book that I wish everyone would read. I wrote a long book review of it on my blog.
http://thethinkingmother.blogspot.com/2008/05/ships-without-shore-book-review-by.html?showComment=1210564860000
I think this conversation is funny. People interpret things by one or two words and everything else in between becomes the product of assumption.
I think when people post too, that it becomes a division.
why would people assume that life is about a division?
is life either/or? or is it AND. You probably have at least two ageneds happening constantly. (hence why we smoke with earning labels or heat our food in plastic, use cell phones, etc)
Even in our own life situations, we life amongst many colors of the rainbow, not even just black, white, gray, there is blue, green, yellow, vibrant red.
What I see in a lot of these posts (and in mine as well) is that we pigeon hole things to make it easier for us to understand.
I can take a post that someone wrote and think, well this is saying this about MY post (and it may or may not be but i took it personally) and want to answer it, but the truth is, maybe someone hasnt even read my post. or maybe they are and they feel the need to pigeon-hols their post based on an assumption of what I am writing.
just becuase we may not agree with the choices, or agree with the choices, doesnt mean that there will be BOTH successes and fallout for Sarah Palin. She gets to choose her life lessons, just as we do.
and we are all having this discussion on a site appropriately names…
Raising Small Souls.
We ARE raising small souls here. that is why this hits hard for me. These children, like mine, are sould being formed by life. and someones choices.
Everything we do affects the life choices of our children simply on the basis that we are the teachers. We probably give our children the hardest lessons, just as we as adults say… I want to be like my mother this way and I absolultely dont want to be like my mother in this way…
its all life lessons. and Sarah Palin and her children will have their life lessons because of her choices. bottom life. no judgment.
none of escapes that we are here living in Earth school.
People who are addicted to alcohol and/or drugs are not that way because of being unable to deal with disappointment. Alcoholism is a disease in the same way cancer is a disease. An alcoholic’s body reacts differently to alcohol than the average person, and it is nothing that the alcoholic can control.
I disagree strongly with Emily V. Yes, alcoholism and drug addiction are diseases, but they are diseases that many of us may be prone to–HOWEVER, how we deal with things like disapointment and pain can be the deciding factor between becoming alcoholics or drug addicts.
The alcoholic, in order to stay sober, MUST learn to deal with lifes issues in order to facilitate their sobriety. Same with all addictions, be it food or drugs or sex or gambling or shopping—this is why it is critical that we arm our kids with knowlege and truth and reality.
I remember being – oh – 22, and breaking up with a boyfriend I was DEEPLY in love with. I remember walking to my parents bar and picking up a bottle, (I was NOT a drinker at ALL) and knowing, somewhere deep inside of me, that if I once took a drink for my “pain” I might never crawl out of that bottle. I put it back and called a girlfriend.
Pain, disapointment, frustration, anger, lonliness-are all a part of life. We thought we were teaching both our kids these things….In order for our children to be healthy, they must know how to deal with reality. This conversation engendered a HARD look at our parenting and we are reaping the the fruit of “keepng our daugther happy” – which we did not even realize, at the time, we were doing. Did not really realize until this thread. Hence, her much harder time dealing with the issues than her brother, whom we did a MUCH better job with. Guilty as charged, and TAKING charge now. She is not a happy camper these days and I find myself slipping back into placating BUT I have been catching myself every time. Luckily, she is 16, and can understand what we are doing. We stood firm day before yesterday on something she didn’t get to do and was disapointed about. 2 hours later, after a fuss and hissy fit, she came to me and thanked me for standing strong and not giving in.
The reason we have such an unintelligent person in the White House right now is b/c of the gullible, fearful position people that have been taking/posting on this blog. Looks like they have you fooled again.
Really Ellen? I never would have thought.
Stunned in Connecticut.
Susie – loved your thoughts. I agree completely. Especially loved the story about your daughter coming to you later…..
I think that Sarah will most likely take her children with her when she travels. Homeschool can be taught anywhere and at any time. I like the fact that she shares her REAL family with us.
It is time we women open the debate about Sarah Palin. She is a role model to many women who are inspired to accommplish much in both the work place and in the home. I am shocked at her treatment in the media! Many “experienced” congresspeople have spent more time in government and achieved less in their tenure than Sarah did during her time as a mayor and governor. When actors and media heads put her down as just a PTA mom, or hockey mom, they insult all of us women who have given our talents to improve our childrens’ schools, our communities and our states. Maybe they would prefer women to stay at home, focus only on their family and stay out of more important mens’ work. If we don’t support her integrity, even if we’re voting for the other party, it diminishes the respect for the work we do everyday either as a volunteer or heaven forbid, an elected official.
Here! Here! Lairue. You rock, girl!
I completely agree with you about the “no-pain” mentality of our society. When we are sick or hurting, those are cues to our body to change something. We have amazing healing abilities, we’re just not happy with how long they take. One of my favorite things about being pregnant was that if I got a cold or something, no one could expect me to just take a bunch of medicine and trudge through it. I had an excuse to stay in bed for a couple of days and let my body take care of itself. And I always felt way better afterwards than if I had gone to work struggling and munching on Dayquil for a week.
I’m so glad to hear someone else address the issue of overmedication. I think it sets a terrible example for our children.
I really enjoyed this article, even though I take medication for mental health issues AND GERD. But the writer’s point is very true…avoiding pain, even for our children, only serves to weaken our and their defenses necessary for survival, whatever that may mean to each individual person.
I do no support Sarah Palin for VP, but as for her actions as a mother, I have no right to criticize her choices, nor the actions of her children. And compared with the degrading family structure in our country, the fact that she has 4 typically developing children that can help care for and provide an abundance of love to Trig, and a husband, her family is in pretty good shape. I’m also sure she’s not hurting for want of money, so assistance in any family issues is probably no issue at all. She most likely, too, has family and friends who provide support in their unique ways, so I can’t agree that serving in the role of VP would have some negative impact on her family, even if I don’t support her political views.
The only part of the article I question is the statement “It’s a fact: In the course of a happy childhood, the ability to deal with sadness when the child is young, will prevent the scathing pain of addiction when the child has grown older.” The prevention of addiction is never guaranteed and so many variables can drive a person to become addicted to any kind of substance or behavior. Otherwise, I think this is a good and relevant article.