BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

by Teresa McEntire There are many mothers in the world, both good and bad. I have seen mothers that I wish that I could be more like and those that I think should never have had children in the first place. But what exactly makes a woman a good mother? Anthropologist Margaret Mead has spent years studying children, parents, and the methods used by mothers raising children all over the world. When asked what she considered the most "valuable capacities for a mother to have." She replied by giving five qualities that she feels every good mother must possess. 1. Treats each child as an individual. A good mother realizes that every child is not the same. She understands that children are not just an extension of or born to be a helper for their parent, but that each child is an "individual in their own right." 2. A good mother helps their child set out on their own path . Allowing the child to follow that path, regardless of the mother's desires. Yet at...

You may be a victim of domestic violence (also known as interpersonal partner abuse) if you have some or all of the following characteristics: 1. Over functioning or overachieving : You may tend to take on more than a reasonable share of responsibilities. You may have a high need to please others. Your abuser's failure to accept responsibility for the abuse forces you to compensate for his/her behavior. 2. Feeling powerless : You may feel as though you have no control over your life. You may be immobilized by fear and feel that you "have to take it." Decisions about family, friends, and activities are based on how the abuser will react. 3. Feelings of guilt or shame : You may feel guilty over failure of a relationship. This is often reinforced by the abuser who blames the victim for all that goes wrong. Guilt over failure may be accompanied by shame for "putting up" with the abuse. 4. Continuous hope : You maintain hope for positive change in the ab...