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Culture War Roundup for the week of April 21, 2025

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Most kids turned out just fine. And honestly I think it was ultimately good for us to have done those things. First of all because it taught us to self regulate behaviors and thus learn when and how to break rules with minimal danger to ourselves and others around us. Second because we’d end up getting in some level of danger either of getting caught breaking rules, or rarely physical danger, an$ would have to figure out how to get out of that mess. And finally because we learned how to get along with other kids without mom and dad to mediate. If you wanted to play one game and they want to do something else, you negotiate and figure it out.

I’m good with a chunk of that, don’t get me wrong. But if I were a parent, trying to calibrate how much independence to give my children, I would consider ‘cutting class and doing drugs’ as a VERY clear sign I’d erred too far towards lenience.