Christopher, I too found that having children inclined me to the "nature" side of the debate.
Children are so different from each other, from the word go. They are born, IMO, with a fully formed personality structure. You may be able to affect their beliefs, their interests; you may even be able to modify certain features of their personalities, if they are a real problem. But you can't change the essential personality.
I can remember my eldest son, for example, when he was about six months old. He never crawled. But he would stand in his play pen for hours on end, holding on the bar with one hand, waving a diaper around his head with the other hand, and cheerfully declaiming something or other at the top of his lungs.
He still does that, in his forties. He bursts into a room, waving his arms, bellowing -- "Raaaaaaaaaaaaah! Look who's here! Raaaaaaaaaaaah!" It's hilarious.
Remembering how much fun the older one had in a playpen, I bought one for my younger son, too. No way! The minute I put him in there -- Howl! Yell! Let me out of here! Don't fence me in!!!" So, I took him out, and he crawled away as fast as he could...Tried putting him back in. Same reaction: "Don't fence me in!" Had to give the damn thing away...
He is still the same way. Work at a 9 to 5 job? For somebody else? Howl! Yell! Don't Fence Me In!
Ain't individuality wonderful?
Joan |
