How Were You Raised?

[PlayboyMegan]

How were you raised and what impact did it have on who you are today?
Were you spanked as a punishment? Absent father, overbearing mother? Super religious family? Etc.

 

[PlayboyMegan]

I noticed that I was raised very uniquely. My mother only spanked me once...or tried (I duct taped my butt before hand and she started laughing when she saw). She let ME choose my punishments. So I always picked things I didn't care about, like taking away my bike that I didn't want to ride for a week. She also believed I was her equal. So from the time I could talk I was allowed to choose what I wore everyday, what I ate (always dessert first, of course), when I wanted to take a bath, I was allowed to draw on the walls, jump on the couches, never clean, etc.
It has really done me an injustice because I don't do well with authority and never have. I had no problem standing up to my teachers at school because I felt equal to them. I don't think I could handle a 9-5 job because of that, as well.

 

[mynameisbob84]

I was raised mainly by my mother and grandmother. No father figure until my stepdad came along later in life. Was never really disciplined too harshly and in truth, I was a bit of a shit when I was younger :-D .
I was taught to read and write at a pretty early age and I remember kind of having the drop on other kids at school who could do neither (that's not me bigging myself up though; I'm not saying I was smarter than them, but rather it seems I was taught certain things at an earlier age than others perhaps were ).
I think my grandmother was fairly religious but she never tried to force any of her beliefs on me, and my mother isn't (as far as I know) religious at all, so religion never really played a factor in my upbringing.

Being raised by two women, I think probably instilled in me a pretty healthy respect for women in general. Rampant misogyny used to really surprise me and I could never understand where it was all coming from.
I'm exceptionally lazy (I should be doing school work right now but I'm taking my second 'break' in less than an hour :? ) and that might be owing to a lack of discipline.
I'm a pretty open minded dood when it comes to sexuality and how other people live their lives and maybe that's borne of a lack of religious beliefs being thrust upon me from an early age. I was never raised to believe that I should be a certain way or to be weary of certain people or to judge people based on their life choices or anything like that.

 

[mynameisbob84]

Ooh, and I'm pretty sure my love of music can be traced back to my upbringing. My mother always had music on around the house - Hendrix, Steppenwolf, Zeppelin, The Beatles, ZZ Top. In fact, even before that, I was in the womb when she went to see Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan
One of my earliest memories is riding my toy motorctycle around the living room with "Born To Be Wild" playing on the stereo. I was a cool kid (sadly, it was all downhill from there :?).

 

[LacieLaPlante]

I was raised with a pothead father and a spineless mother. They were always there though, kinda. My mom worked from 8-5 and made more than my dad as a legal secretary and my dad sold cars. Inconsistency on my dad's money front has made me value money greatly. Making money is important to me.

I was allowed to do most things I wanted, but obviously not everything.I never had to ask, "Mom CAN I go to X's house" and be worried she'd say no, or I never had to be sure I was home for dinner. I got a little spoiled too - was often bought presents for no reason. I always had nice things, fortunately, despite my parents money troubles. That was probably the source of them. I was only spanked once. I think I injured myself from "fights" more than they ever hurt me.

My dad is a loud-mouthed, I'm always right kinda guy. We got in lots of fights but they were usually my fault because I never back down. My mother pretends she didn't know anything. My mom lied off her ass everyday, stole money from my brother and I and cheated any way she could to survive with my overbearing grandma around. And never cleaned a single thing - I just don't have that cleaning bug, but I can get into it more than my mom can that's for sure.

My dad is a musician and my mom a seamstress as well, so I got some creativity in me. My dad's in a blue's band and has a mini recording studio in their basement with 6 guitars, a drumkit, a piano, a standing base. my mom made my clothes when I was a kid, costumes when I was older and now she's making my curtains.

 

[16_bit]

I was raised mainly by my mom. My dad was a lorry (truck) driver so he was always out before i got up, stayed out a couple nights a week and half the time i was in bed before he got back.

I had rules, my parents were kind of strict but not too bad and punishments were generally being grounded and smacked on the back of my legs. It worked, the sort of fear of being punished generally stopped me doing anything i shouldn't, although i wasn't really a trouble maker or anything, perhaps a little cheeky.
We never had much money, and still don't now, but my parents never really made an issue of it. They taught me to save up my pocket money and that cheaper things aren't always worse than the 'brand name'. This saving thing has really stuck with me and i always try to save as much as i can, sometimes meaning i have to pass over things i want. It's not always easier, especially when i know i have the money, but i also know it's better for me in the long term.
They were never strict in terms of giving me chores but i would help around the house, i really liked gardening so i was always happy to help outside. This might be why i don't have the strongest work ethic but once i get started into something, i llike to finish before i stop or take breaks.

I was baptised but never taken to church on sundays and my parents never taught me anything religous. They always taught me repsect and manners, which are still in me today, and never made an issue of any differences in people. This has helped me to be open and understanding towards other people.

 

[Crumb]

my dad and grandfather died when I young so it was mainly my mother and grandmother who rasied me in a semi religious home, meaning I did go to church, sunday school, and youth group. the closest father figure I had was an uncle who lived in the next province that I saw once a year during the summers. yeah, I was also spanked as a kid as a punishment... but generally only for my worst infractions otherwise, I was grounded and lectured to about why I was being punished.
even though we weren't super bible thumping religious, I have since pretty much rejected, or in the very least, called into question organized religion.
on the topic of corporal punishment, I'm all for spanking one's own kid if he or she steps out of line. I was spanked as a kid and think I turned out ok. I haven't or don't go around hitting people because of it. the kids who do act out because they were smacked on the bottom a few times, I think the problem is with the parents and not doing their job properly
both my mother and my grandmother grew up poor, so what you put on your plate, you ate, no wasting allowed. that "clean your plate" ethic was passed down to me (I had to stay at the table til my plate was finished sometimes) and even to today I feel a little guilty if I don't finish my plate, so now I only take what i'll eat and go back for seconds if i'm still hungry.

 

[skiphop90]

Attended a Methodist church until I was like 8 with my Aunt and Uncle's family (my parent worked Sundays). My parents weren't necessarily overly strict but I certainly knew right from wrong from an early age. Perhaps that was more influence from school, I don't know, but I was never one that got into a lot of trouble. I wasn't spoilt, and although I wasn't made to do chores around the house, I did like to help with things. I would often clash with my Father as he had little to no patience which got frustrating, but usually that ended in both of us apologising, though the word "Sorry" was rarely spoken.

Late teenage years, I was quite popular in school but never bothered with the going out at the weekends and stuff as I lived in a fairly rural area which would have meant a fairly expensive taxi to get anywhere. I think it was hobbies like fishing and later, when I got into playing football (soccer) for a team that kept me on the right side. I believe that exercise and activities like that helps get rid of all the emotions and hormone crap that comes with growing up at that age.

 

[LiLredhairedgrl]

My parents married young (mom at 19, dad 18) after knowing each other only 3 months. After the first month, they wanted to get married but my moms parents were against it. Then she got pregnant...and they were married simply at the local church. (I have actually seen their wedding--it was filmed on an old school 8mm projector...) Soooo, then the baby was stillborn, and everyone assumed they were gonna get an anullment, but they swore they were in love and didn't marry because "they had to." I was born a year and a half later, and my sister 3 years after that... :-D They have now been married 40 years last December.

My mom stayed at home til I was 16, she didnt even drive, and my dad always worked from morning til night. He had left home at 16, and didn't finish high school, but he worked hard and ended up being a manager of an appliance store. He ended up getting his GED when I was in high school. He always made enough money to support his family, and I never really wanted for anything during my youth (besides designer jeans in high school which I ended up getting a job of my own to pay for.) I was brought up more like a son, to be really independent and not reliant on anyone. My mother is catholic, but I myself was never baptised and neither was my father--my mom always said I was "Gods child" and could choose any religion I wanted or none at all...what was important to my parents is that I figured out for myself what I believe.

I did have strict rules however, growing up, which I rebelled against....my junior year of high school I was grounded every other month! I became very headstrong and obstinate when I got caught and became very good at minimizing and maximizing in order to be right. Just like my dad, I am stubborn as hell and don't like anyone telling me what I can or cant do. Control was key where my dad was concerned, and you never let anyone know your weaknesses; this has stayed with me my whole life.

I definately believe in the whole true love thing due to my upbringing, but yet I don't like to be vulnerable...which has caused me some problems in life. But all in all, I feel very lucky to have been raised by my parents. I was raised to be a free thinker, to take risks, and to not let anyone tell me who I am. And I was also raised to believe in love and loyalty and that love isn't all easy--that the power of true love is in going through the ups and downs and truly being there for each other always....

 

[Jupiter551]

I have (and had) generally good parents, never beaten or neglected, had everything I need. My mum divorced my dad when I was 10, before that my dad was overseas on business like every other week. After they split my brother and I stayed with my dad because she went to university and wasn't earning money, didn't think she would be able to keep us in good schools and I guess we'd been pretty spoiled.
Anyway dad was a pretty good single parent, we spent a lot more time together after that, until I was about 16 and the step-mother came lol.
Today I talk to my mum every other day and my dad every few. I think all in all they have been pretty good parents, not perfect, but better than many.

 

[SatanJonez]

Not very well.

 

[Shaun__]

My divorced parents liked me I guess, but they never did anything with me really. They just ignored me, or hit me if they did not like what I was doing. The educational TV shows I liked to watch gave me most, if not all, of my guidance in the early years of my life.

 

[RedHerby]

A good protected childhood on a farm, religious only for the community, one hour in church every sunday and that was it, the church was god's place according to my dad ... literally, god should stay there was something my dad did say a lot of times as a joke.

I was only child until 9 when my little sister was born, and I did not handle that so well in the beginning, sharing my parents was something new for me, good life lesson.

3 times spanked (flat hand on behind), I remember each time very good, there where reasons for that, if the police is needed to get the cows from the road ...

I know now from my mother that when I deciced in my teen years not to take over the farm it did hurt my dad, but he did never show his disappointment to me.

Mom was more then a housewife, ok this sounds stupid here with all the strong independed women here, but its 30 years ago and in that farm community it was special. She did run the farm together with my dad, also 2 times a day milking the cows together. She forced my dad to give me and my sister 'Quality Time', that was not his nature. Mom was protective, if she did think something was wrong on school she did pick up the phone, no big drama here, but that was not so valued by me ...

 

[southsamurai]

wow. i guess i should first say that i love my parents, my grandparents and family. i have to say that first or it'll sound like i dont.

ok it was a mixed bag of good and bad on the parental front. my dad was pretty old school country guy who was smart enough to know better, but at the time hadn't gotten there yet. my mom was a wanna be hippie. my elder brother died before i was born from a genetic disorder. so i always knew i was loved and valued. they were so scared when they found out i was coming less than 3 months after he died that they never lost the joy when i came out very very healthy. as far as rules went there were few, and very confusing. my dad worked his ass off to provide for us so most of the discipline was left to my mom, and the poor woman was and is slightly bipolar. she was also very young when they marred, then lost her first child, so not the most stable person to start with. shall we say there were long weeks where it was party party and then weeks where the house fell into chaos. her idea of discipline was to either wait til my dad got home and let him handle it, or go slightly overboard. i was beaten a few times. of course she would immediately cry and beg forgiveness.

my dad was a mix of loving and generous combined with violent. he beat me several times hard enough with a belt to make my butt bleed from the welts left. on the other hand i always knew i was safe from the outside world with him. sure as hell if he had his way no one else would ever dare lay a hand on me. went after one guy with a shovel for letting me get picked on on the school bus when i was 5 or 6

the overall effect was not good. the sheer violence led me to be pretty messed up for a long time. when combined with the affection and open minded intelligence both my parents had it was very confusing. i had a long run of co-dependent behaviors in my younger years. i am still a bit of a rage junkie even though i control it now instead of letting it control me.

on my father's side of the family the mix of extreme love hugs and kisses coupled with severe physical punishment was the norm. on my mother's side not so much. both sets of grandparents were very important to me and my one remaining grandmother remains so.

no one in my family really knew what to do with me. when someone scores as high as i did on the IQ tests the generation they all came from just dont know how to handle things. they expect your raw intelligence to let you already know everything or understand it so fast that it amounts to the same. so i was often praised for my brains, then punished when my quick understanding of life and technical matters led me to conclusions, questions and behaviors they didnt like. on the other hand rather than explaining things to me about what i was expected to do as far as human interactions, i was just beaten near senseless when i didnt conform. i guess they thought that even at the 5-10 year range i was just supposed to understand that you dont tell an adult they are wrong about something even when every bit of science and research shows otherwise.

i can also say that my poor damn sister caused a lot of trouble for me too. she was of average, or slightly above intelligence, and in my family that means not smart. she was also female. which meant that if she said i did something, i did it, regardless of the truth. some of the beatings i got were for lies she told. of course since she was a cute kid and female and just average everyone assumed she would be rather useless. so she wort of walked that path despite not having to.


ive gotten rather long winded so i'll leave it at that, other than repeating that i love my family. they did the best they could with what they had at the time, and changed when they finally learned a better way. oh and to say that spankings, and other physical punishment are proven,study after study, to be useless as a form of discipline and to cause more disfunction and behavorial problems than they could ever fix

 

[Rose]

My parents thought love was conditional, everyone should be close minded, dancing and nudity were sins, homosexuals were going to hell and that you'd die if you kissed anyone before you were married. Somehow they developed this mindset when they got pregnant with me, after YEARS of partying, multiple suicide attempts, gang bangs, overdoses and all sorts of other terrible crap I'd prefer to not think about. They raised me the exact opposite of how they were raised and it backfired on them.

My childhood was incredibly crappy. My parents were biased, judgmental and close minded until my health problems started and life forced them to become better people or lose all their children. While the past sucks to remember sometimes, I'm glad that they're trying now to be better people and have a healthy, loving relationship with me. I'm happy that they were able to raise my sister and brother differently so that my siblings are turning out to be happy, functioning adults in society and I hope that my parents keep learning and growing so they can provide a healthy and loving grandparent relationship to my spawn. Sometimes I feel sad that I got a shitty childhood and my siblings got decent ones, but I'd rather work on fixing my relationship with my parents now instead of holding grudges.

Oh, and did I mention we're an army family? Yup....My dad was deployed every single year I was alive until I turned 18 and moved out. That part sucks, but I'm glad the army finally gave me my father back. I just hope he doesn't try to take the spawn on PT runs with him or something when it arrives. :shock: I wouldn't put it past him though. It's kind of all he knows. :?

 

[LindseyDoll]

My Step father was an angry drill sergeant, and my Mother let him get away with shouting at small children until he was purple because she couldn't stand up to him. When they were both away working long hours, my crazy religious, deeply superstitious baby sitter, and her 2 kids terrorized me and treated me like crap. By the time I was 10 I was convinced that adults did not deserve to be authority figures just because they were old. These days I don't take orders from anyone who doesn't earn my respect in some way. I eventually moved to a military base, where most people I became friends with moved within a year. It made it difficult for me to build lasting relationships. Then I was moved back to the same small town I lived in as a kid when I was 14. Everyone there had been part of their little cliques since kindergarten, and there was no room for an outsider, so I became the painfully shy outsider. I'm still very shy, and lack confidence. For a long time I was convinced that I was a hideous freak and people hated me for being so ugly.

The best thing that ever happened to me was moving to another province, far away from anyone I went to school with.

People don't see any of that when I'm on cam, and often call bullshit when I say I'm shy. It's like just because I smile and try to make the best of life, they assume that I live in a magical universe where no one has any problems and I don't have to pay rent.

When I cam it's my escapism time. It's where I go to take a break from the craziness of life, have fun, and indulge in a little personal fantasy.

(Sorry for the TMI. please don't thing that this is complaining or self pity, someone asked after all)

*edit: My mother married a wonderful man yesterday, I'm so happy for her, and proud too

 

[JickyJuly]

My parents were burnout kids and got married when my mom was 7 months pregnant with me. Immediately after I was born, my sister was created. She's actually only 8 months younger than I am. Since she was early and sick, she spent most of the first year of her life in the hospital. I spent most of that time with grandparents. I've always felt like my mom never really got to bond with me because she had another child so quickly. She says I came out cold, bitchy and independent. It's taken me a long time to shed that image of myself.

My dad worked a ton, sold drugs and threw parties at our house all the time. Our house was always really loud and chaotic. Everyone around was either on coke or a stoner. Stoners are fun when you're a kid though. They're always more than happy to color with you or share your playdoh. I never have parties in my own home as an adult or allow people that I don't know very well to come through my door. My family are all very dramatic and loud while I tend to value quiet and calm.

We always had tons of pets, and I think I spent more time with them than any people. My nose was usually stuffed inside a book. My parents were pretty oblivious to things like rules. Though my mother and I fought constantly, I never got to be rebellious because there wasn't anyone to rebel against. I think my parents tried their best, and my dad is actually one of my best friends. They're just kind of spoiled children of the 70s who care more about having fun than anything else.

 

[LuckySmiles]

I was raised well, very well, I love them to pieces but they'd never approve of any of this. And I know why and I'm not upset about that.

My parents are old school, no really I'm 28 and the youngest by FAR in a big family. 2 bros 2 sis 8-16 yrs older than I. (I was a major accident lol My parents are nearly 70 now been married over 40 years and two of the nicest people you'll ever meet.) Both came from poverty and worked their butts off to make a better life for their children. My mom even worked full time before that was "normal" for women.. like my dad didn't "approve" of her going back to work when my first sister was born. But he got over it.

No one ever hit me or anyone else.. if a voice was raised in my house or that LOOK you just kinda freaked out... I don't know how they instilled that kind of discipline but they did. I grew up in a crap neighborhood with crap schools where if you could afford it your family sent you to private school.. sooo not super religious family but catholic school my entire education until college. Yep as the RHCP said before they got popular...Catholic school girls rule

Everyone in my family is kind of quiet kind of humble..no one ever complimented looks which probably messed me up a little bit... I have two sisters that I find much much prettier than myself, so much so that if I'm complimented I'm like hah.. because out of all of us I'm definitely not the "pretty one"
to this day my self confidence in the looks department is pretty screwy, I think because my mom never found herself to be very good looking... and I look JUST like my mom only with blue eyes...I'm not conceited, I'm not one of those girls fishing for compliments.. I just don't believe people that tell me I'm pretty... I just assume they're trying to get laid. I've been told that makes me batshit crazy aaand I'm working on it.
I'm the brat, I'm the one used to being the center of attention, I'm the one who has to break rules just because they're there... but at the end of the day, I'm a decent person. Most of that is probably because of how I was raised.

 

[DudeExtreme]

I was raised by great parents who def cared about their children and supported anything we did: Little League, 4-H, Boy Scouts, etc. I was spanked/punished if necessary, but every time it was done, I also knew the deep unconditional love my parents had for me. Though they were religious, they were also opened minded and allowed me to have my own ideas even if it was different from their own. Church was important, but it wasn't everything either. Honor and respect were taught by example. Since we lived on a ranch, we worked together as a family to get the work done. I was raised not only by my parents, but also by my older sisters and brothers.

 

[AllisonWilder]

How were you raised and what impact did it have on who you are today?
Were you spanked as a punishment? Absent father, overbearing mother? Super religious family? Etc.

Mother died when I was 18 months old, dad was around for the most part, mostly raised by my Grandma though. My dad was really strict about stupid things (household chores, mostly) and kicked me out of the house almost every time we fought. I stopped attending church when I was 8.

I was spanked as punishment until I was 9 or 10ish, then it was random, stupid punishments. I once had to move old patio bricks from one side of the house to into the garage, then had to move them all back. Another time, while we were building a garage, I had to shovel an entire load of class 5 dirt into the spot where the slab was to be poured. Not at all conventional, but not abusive or anything.

In a weird way my dad punishing me by making me do manual labor I think made me unafraid to get dirty and get things done and really appreciate things that I had because they could easily be taken away. He also made me get a job when I was 16 so that I could learn to save and appreciate money and I really, really do. I work really hard for everything I have.

 

[LadyLuna]

I have been thinking about this a lot over the past year or so. I'm submissive, but I don't call my partner "Master" outside of the bedroom because my past has made disciplining me nearly impossible without also causing damage.

-If I don't need something, and I can't have it, I stop wanting it.
-If I do need something, and I don't get it, I bury the need but start acting out.
-Physical punishment serves to make me flinch from the person for years, but I need physical affection so badly that it messes me up completely when it's someon I care about.
-Other punishment I either don't notice because of the above reasons, or it makes me so damn tense that I fuck up even more
-rewards are not noticed unless they are extravagent
-my self esteem was so low that I needed rewards for the simplest things
-my self-worth was so low that I still need to be completely convinced that anybody would want to have me around, let alone the man I love so much
-it is easier for me to see myself as ugly, stupid, and disgusting, than it is for me to see myself as intelligent, pretty, or desireable.

So what caused this fucked-upness?

I was in foster care. For the first few months of it, I had it firmly ingrained into me that if I was bad, I would lose my place, and furthermore, that I would be expected to follow rules that I had no way of knowing existed. I was five at that time, and went through 4 houses in 3 months before finally being put in a group home. Where I was taught that strange middle-aged women are terrifying, that pooping is bad and I should never poop again, and that I am disgusting.

My biological family, what little I can remember of them, valued kindness, loving, and intelligence. They instilled in me, somehow, the idea that I should love everyone, that God loves everyone, even me, and that I am capable of learning anything I want to.

In first grade, I was teased for my name, which I couldn't change, and for my lack of ability to read, which I could. So I went from not being able to read, to being the best reader in my class, in the space of a month or two. That set the tone for my entire elementary school experience- I got high marks on all my school-work, but couldn't make any friends.

My foster families didn't have much of an impact on me, really. Except the one that eventually adopted, but that wasn't even really an impact on my personality or values. They value money, I don't. They value intelligence, I do, but that's because my biological family did.

As to the reaction to physical punishment- my nerves are hyper sensitive. I have learned how to take my mind away from my body so I'm not constantly feeling every sensation (it's very distracting, and keeps me from learning), but another person touching me almost always brings it back. It is easy to hurt me physically, even without meaning to. As testified by both my younger brother and my partner who, in trying to tickle me, will sometimes accidentally hurt me. It never leaves bruises though, because I feel pain from things that don't actually harm my body. Add that to the emotional backlash of being certain that the person I care deeply about is going to throw me out for this mistake, and you get a recipe for terror.

Do I believe that physical punishment can work? Yes, on certain people. But it's important it's done in the right setting. If the person is ticklish, they probably don't need to be bruised to feel physical pain. And it's very important that they don't believe that punishment is a death-sentance for the relationship. It also doesn't work if it's too common. It's only right for really big infractions, where you need to really shock the person you're disciplining so they realize just how serious that was. And no punishment should be given in anger (go to your room so I can cool down is not a punishment, no matter how they feel about it).

 

[SweepTheLeg]

My parents got married at the young age of 22 because of me. They are still married while all their friends who waited to get married and waited to have kids are all divorced. I find that funny in the you'd think it'd be the exact opposite.

I think I remember one spanking, but I was being a total ass so I deserved it. usually was just a slap upside the head when I'd get annoying and didn't know when to quit.

My parents were and are very supportive. My mom was involved in a lot of my school functions holiday parties in class she'd volunteer and bake and come up with games for us kids to play. My dad would help coach in the sports I was involved with, my parents came to every game they possibly could and considering I played baseball, soccer, basketball and football that's a lot of games to attend.

I get told all the time how my friends love my parents, they have the ability to blend in when hanging out with my friends where they were never looked at as grown ups or my parents but just part of the group. They are the cool parents without having to try to act too young for their age or anything obnoxious like that. I tell you though, sure made it impossible to ever complain about my parents when we weren't getting along because I'd always get the "Dude, shut up! Want to trade parents and you take mine instead?" response.

I always remind myself they were 22 when they did all this, I'm 29 and right now just beginning to think about contemplating kids maybe.

 

[TashaDutch]

i was mostly raised at borderschool.. till i was aboout 10,11.. then i got to see my parents more often, and they toke a bigger part in raising me..
i love my parents alot, but there is some distant that my siblings don't experience..
they are my whole world basically.. but i do struggle to have my own spot inside the familly.. instead of just outside the circle..
they are religious.. but have always let me and my sisters completely decide for ourselfs what to believe, and how to make that a part of our lifes.. no pressure
some srink thought it would be a good idea to send me to borderschool when i was 4... i still hate his guts..
he told me parents very strange and doubtful stuff... he actually thought i wouldn't be capable of loving people.. even my parents.. (he basically said that i wouldn't love people like 'normal' people would)

i was diagnozed with adhd and pdd-noss when i was 2 years old (yeah WTF).. and ever since my teenage years.. this had been distroying every bit of confidence and the feeling of belonging anywhere but the nuthouse i was raised in.. (this goes as far as doctors not taking health issues serious because they read that dianosis... it toke them 5 months to find my lungembolisms because they kept claiming it was hyperventilation)

the borderschool i was send to was Anthroposophic... more info here: http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthroposophy
as a young child i never really noticed the difference.. but there was no tv, radio, and we read from both the bible and the greek mythology books.. i was raised with bits of every religion, and was taught that there's place for everything in this world
if you look at it the right way.. its actually a really beautiful way of living.. it just distances you from the people in the 'real' world...
the only thing that really lasted in my personality is the abilty to philosophise about the smallest for other people unintresting things..

i lived with my parents from age 12-14.. but since i never experienced a 'normal' familly life.. this ended in discomfort and misunderstanding in all of us..
lived in different broderschools and livings groups before i got my own flat..
i'm never sure what to say about my raising.. it was strange..
i still struggle to find myself.. and i think the way i was brought up didn't help...

 

[FrenchKitty]

I noticed that I was raised very uniquely. My mother only spanked me once...or tried (I duct taped my butt before hand and she started laughing when she saw). She let ME choose my punishments. So I always picked things I didn't care about, like taking away my bike that I didn't want to ride for a week. She also believed I was her equal. So from the time I could talk I was allowed to choose what I wore everyday, what I ate (always dessert first, of course), when I wanted to take a bath, I was allowed to draw on the walls, jump on the couches, never clean, etc.
It has really done me an injustice because I don't do well with authority and never have. I had no problem standing up to my teachers at school because I felt equal to them. I don't think I could handle a 9-5 job because of that, as well.

This is funny, I was raised exactly like that. Except I wasn't punished. I was EXPLAINED for long minutes why what I did was wrong and the impact it had on others and myself. I also had no notion of hierarchy as a result (still dont tbh) and got slapped on my first day of school for talking back to my teacher.
My father ran after me once when I was 9, I don't know what I had said or done, but he acted like he was going to spank me so I ran, and rreached a door (not locked, just closed) and I was so terrified I couldn't figure how to open it and just curled up into a ball at the bottom of it. He saw me there and started laughing and saying he was sorry for scaring me. I was so much NEVER hit that I was terrified of it, and never fought at school either, which means I never fought BACK . I just didn't dare to hit anyone for fear they would hit back twice harder.
I also obviously chose what I wore, (my mother didn't think it was her business what was on MY body) what and how much I ate, the only restriction I had was "we don't read books at the dinner table, we talk as a family". That felt like hell, I was a book addict ^^ (

i was diagnozed with adhd and pdd-noss when i was 2 years old (yeah WTF)..

I was diagnosed with asperger's syndrome, that explains the "books addiction" and the woos thing too, and probably why my parents were so protective of me.)
I think , given our ages, a lot of us were raised by hippies

 

[HiGirlsRHot]

I think , given our ages, a lot of us were raised by hippies

LOL, I am pretty sure I am meet some of your parents at Peoples Republic of Berkeley,in the 70s and 80s.

 

[FrenchKitty]

I think , given our ages, a lot of us were raised by hippies

LOL, I am pretty sure I am meet some of your parents at Peoples Republic of Berkeley,in the 70s and 80s.

Lol woops sorry, I mostly had the girls in mind when I typed that (spend too much time in the models only section ^^)
:lol: