Sarah

TCS chats and advocates, I think, come across very bold. The vocal and
firm TCS supporters are undeniably honest. I suppose this is what I
like. It is incredibly challenging to look at one's self honestly.
Identifying unhealthy, unfounded, and imbedded forms of thinking and
trying to change these ideas is difficult, at best. The results of
looking inward and doing the work and changing unproductive thought
patterns is liberating. People who ask questions in a TCS forum are
searching for answers, they are opening themselves up to critical and
rational thinking in order to improve their lives and open their minds.

I have to respectfully disagree with the following statement:
"Pro-common preferences parents convey, to me, impression that they are
raising a "superior" brand of child by using a "superior" brand of
parenting.." I understand why this appears to be true. TCS supporters,
however, don't view parenting as producing a product. They are not
concerned with superior and inferior labels. In fact, I would say TCS
people have to get over any kind of notion of superior to fully embrace
a TCS philosophy. The philosophy is about embracing what is unique
about each individual. If that means re-evaluating priorities, faith,
education, social standing, etc., they do so.

TCS parents seem, to me, to be continually searching for a better way to
parent, a better understanding of themselves, and a way to become more
open to an array of possibilities. I don't see TCS parents as seeing
themselves as superior. I think most of them are trying to better
*themselves*. When they do respond to a query in a forum, they are
trying to help other people open their own minds. TCS parents are more
willing to look at honest criticism than any other group I have
encountered.

Sometimes it sounds pretty rough when your ideas are dissected. I, for
one, love to have my ideas challenged. I either face the fact that they
are antiquated and work on changing, or I grow firmer in my resolve.

Sarah Anderson-Thimmes



mother_of_fancy@... wrote:

> I think fundamentalism can take on many forms and cover a wide range
> of issues, TCS and unschooling included. Our world is not black or
> white.