What's your parenting model?

Timothy Smith raises an important issue, in his book The Danger of Raising Nice Kids. What is your parenting model? That is, what does it mean to parent? Most of us parent like our parents. Many of us parent as the world around us expects us to parent.

Tim Kimmel puts this all in a different light.

"The real test of a parenting model is how well equipped the children are to move into adulthood as vital members of the human race. Notice I didn't say "as vital members of the Christian community." We need to have kids that can be sent off to the most hostile universities, toil in the greediest work environments, and raise their familes in the most hedonistic communities and yet not be the least bit intimidated by their surroundings."

That's a new way to think about parenting! I'd be interested to read your thoughts.