“According to Jim” TV Show
Taking on Fathering Myths
There is a sit-com on ABC on Tues nights that is really funny, in my opinion. The show is “According to Jim” a family friendly comedy starting Jim Belushi (as “Jim”). It’s basically about a working class guy, his family and their experiences. The show that aired tonight (March 7, 2006) basically addressed one of those “Fatherhood Myths” we address from time to time…
Fatherhood Myth – I will be come my parents!
In this episode, by some chance of fate, Jim had to confront his father that disserted him when he was 10 yrs old. His father had remarried and now has another boy, around the same age that Jim was when his father left him. To make a long story short, Jim has to confront the feelings he had as a child and then questions his own fatherhood ability– not wanting to be like his dad (or at least not treating his kids as his father treated him).
I give ABC credit for putting a show on that was funny and had a very serious message. The bottom line is we take the good and the bad from our parents, by default they provided us our first (any maybe our only) parenting lessons. The trick is to recognize the not so good parent techniques we may have endured and focus on the positive we have learned as adults. Can’t tell you the times, I’ve heard the stories of dad “getting the belt” from other and how the belt made that terrifying SNAP & POP. Today, no one I know would even consider using a belt on his or her kids. Times have a changed!
The show was a good one and I think we are not doomed to become our parents. You make your own parenting style, not just from how your father treated you, but also from you life experiences and the input from your partner. Its inevitable, you will have the “can’t believe I said that - I sounded just like my father/mother” moments, but that will not dominate your overall parenting skills you develop.
What are some of the best and worst parenting techniques you’ve experienced?
Posted on Friday, September 21st, 2007 at 4:51 pm.
Filed under Daddy Blog, Baby is Here!.
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