[January 6, 2023] We have a moral obligation to encourage our children to go out into the world and to be exposed to the catastrophes, pain, and suffering they will inevitably undergo. Is this not the only way they can be the best they possibly can be? Be the good mother that fails to protect her children, for that is how those children learn to exist in the world. The following is taken from a post by Dr. Jordan Peterson.*
Encourage your children to pursue the good. Do not keep them for yourself selfishly. Tell them they can go out and live their lives and live them properly. You do not want for your children what it is you want for them. You want what would be best for your children and the world.
“The good mother necessarily fails” – Sigmund Freud
Let your children go. Let them go to allow them to pursue what is best for them. Dr. Freud said that the good mother fails. That is a brilliant observation because as your child gains skills to do things, you must pull back and allow them to do what they do. And you don’t interfere. So, if they are struggling, you mostly let them learn so they can know how to do it in the future. That is better for you and unquestionably better for them.
There is a rule in nursing homes, and the rule working with the elderly goes something like this, “Don’t do anything for any of the elderly that they can do for themselves.” Otherwise, you compromise their independence and their dignity. That is a harsh idea, and you’ve got to be one hard SOB to follow that rule, but the alternative is not pretty.
As a mother, you pull back and let your child smash themselves up against the world, and you willingly and with measured thought fail to protect them. By failing to protect them, you encourage and enable them to the point you are no longer necessary. You remove yourself from their life so they can learn to be the best possible person they can be.
And you sacrifice all of your personal desires to protect them. You want them to move forward into the world as a bright beacon on the hill. That’s what you want if you have any sense. You don’t get to keep your children at home because you need them.
A good mother is willing to sacrifice her children for the ultimate good. That is brutal. That is the meaning of “the good mother fails.” The world is a cruel place; get over it. Allow your children to experience the most difficult challenges and what may destroy them. That is the only way for their success in life.
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* Earlier I failed to give credit to Dr. Jordan Peterson for his contribution to this idea. My apologies for the oversight.
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Should this be credited to Jordan Peterson? https://blog.supplysideliberal.com/post/2022/2/9/the-good-mother-failsjordan-peterson
Hi Belle, you make a point that Gen. Satterfield has also made clear and that his writings are influenced by a number of psychologists like Dr. Peterson. Thanks for being on this blog.
I certainly did not expect the outcome of this article from the title, and in fact thought it might have been criticizing mothers but it is exactly not the case. Gen. Satterfield is telling us about the hard choice mothers must make regarding how they must move their children out of the protective nest they created, created out of necessity to protect the young infant.
Good observation Grover. This is why this blog is so important. Gives you new, more accurate ways of thinking about yourself and the world.
This is an amazing post.
“Encourage your children to pursue the good.” – Gen. Satterfield. I believe this is NO longer what parents in the West are doing. I believe they are encouraging them to be narcissists, to think of themselves first and always and screw everybody else. Or give their loyalty to the state and avoid family and community responsibilities.
An unexpected but brilliant article on “strength”.
You got that right Army captain. And Gen. Satterfield has done it with such ease. I predict many will still be offended by a common sense view of the world.
At first, I said to myself that this will be an offensive article but of course that is not the way of Gen. Satterfield but as soon as I began reading it, I said to myself ‘wow’ he has done it once again. Gen. S. pulls you into his articles and does so and surprisingly so each time.
We have a moral obligation to encourage our children to go out into the world and to be exposed to the catastrophes, pain, and suffering they will inevitably undergo. So true…..
Don’t ya just love this website. So many insights. So many ways to look at the world, esp. looking at a world that is a tough place. That means that we all have the moral obligation to teach others to be strong. But today, our schools teach kids to be weak and be ‘victims’ of whatever is the current trend. They love making us dependent upon them so that those wannabe tyrants can be rich and famous and we can, simultaneously, feel morally superior because we are victims. What a stupid ideology. But it makes us FEEL good.
Otto, you sure know how to make a point, good and hard. I say to those who want victim status, more power to you. But you will forever be a failure and your life will be meaningless.
Be strong, stay strong. That is the only way for a meaningful and good life. — Wait a minute, didn’t Gen. Satterfield write a book on that recently? Yep!
https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/
…… and some of us thought this would be a conventional article. ha ha ha ha ha
Bless General Satterfield for his courage to speak truth
👍👍👍👍👍 Ayn, yes, that is why I’m here reading the comments in this forum. Gen. Satterfield is a real man, an American Patriot, a Christian, a husband and father, and does not fear anyone or anything. And he kneels before no person.
Wow, not exactly as I expected but well argued point. Of course, Gen. Satterfield has once again, made an excellent point. Undeniably accurate. ✔
I will note that regular readers of this blog can ‘see’ through The General’s attention-grabbing title and immediately see where he is going with it. Push your children out of the nest just like the mother bird does to her chicks. That is how they learn to fly and learn freedom of the skies.
Fred, well said. Yes, this is a harsh and difficult lesson. Too bad we have to keep learning it over and over.
Right, thanks Ken, but too many folks quickly forget the lesson and revert to their neo-Marxist college training and they consider such thinking to be “racist” “sexist” and whatever the current victim ideology demands.
Profound insight, “The world is a cruel place; get over it. Allow your children to experience the most difficult challenges and what may destroy them. That is the only way for their success in life.”
Is not ‘success’ defining in many ways? We should consider that.
Another great article from Gen. Satterfield’s brain. I like the way this blog has progressed over time. Well done!
Yep, and that is why I’ve been a fan now for several years. What is important here is that the lessons that we humans learn but not be interrupted by our political ideology and that is too common today.
Ouch, a harsh lesson, “There is a rule in nursing homes, and the rule working with the elderly goes something like this, “Don’t do anything for any of the elderly that they can do for themselves.” Otherwise, you compromise their independence and their dignity. That is a harsh idea, and you’ve got to be one hard SOB to follow that rule, but the alternative is not pretty.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield, once again nails one of the important lessons of life.
Provocative. I knew Gen. Satterfield was going somewhere with this article and it now makes plenty of good sense to me.
Gen. Satterfield never fails to deliver an important message, Emma (as you well know) and he has once again done so, with a bit of ‘provocative’ exposure. So, if you are a college snowflake, then you will run screaming away from this adult-level discussion. Heaven forbid!
Spot on comment, Lynn. ❤ Love it!!!!!
Exactly, Janna and Emma. Well said.
Yeah, got that right.
Emma, I do think the purpose of this provocative article title is to entice readers to read what he has to say but the message is largely unchanged. Voluntarily expose yourself to the world so that you become stronger and more resilient. fail to do so, and you and your family and your community will suffer.
I agree with you Rusty D.