Since before I can remember, my cousin has lived with my family. Our birthdays are twelve days apart and we have always been inseparable. We went to school together, had joint birthday parties, and basically lived our lives as twins. Although his last name isn’t Fleece, he did not know life any different than me and my siblings. I believe that good parenting is a key factor to future success.
Chases mom had not particularly lived in a way that valued Chase or his brother Brandon. She had them very young and their dad was no longer in the picture. She was not sober and needed a little bit of help to get her back on her feet. Brandon, who lived with his mother, got in trouble constantly and because he was not receiving consequences, continued to mis-behave. My aunt gave him no discipline, so his wrongdoings weren’t an issue. My mom stepped in when Chase was born to make sure that his mom could sober up and so Chase could get a step in the right direction. Brandon is now living life in and out of jail and on drugs. Chase is now playing hockey in college and working two jobs, while maintaining a solid GPA.
Chase has always had a strong head on his shoulders. He constantly goes after what he wants and he usually tends to get it. He is strong willed and fights for what he believes in. With my fathers help, he started sports at an early age. Being involved in a sport kept him busy and out of trouble. He lived life with my parents as his number one support system with the occasional dinner at his mothers house. We eventually gained legal custody of chase so that my parents had more say in decisions in his life. His mother agreed to get sober as she watched Chase live in a different household. Without the help of my parents, I believe that chase would not be exceling as much as he is.
Although this was not my favorite part of growing up, my parents are very strong believers in using logical consequences. They always parented with the end in mind. Thinking about how our actions would affect our future, etc. They were always consistent with their parenting and that had a huge impact on me and my siblings. Chase, like most kids, did still get into some trouble but being raised with consequences, his mistakes were limited. Growing up with morals and structure leads kids in the right direction and should always be appreciated. Chase was able to thrive in my family and although I cannot predict that he would not have in the care of his mother, he is very thankful for the opportunities he has been given. This is why I believe good parenting is a key factor in future successes.