Are sheltered children less apt to grow up and be successful in life?

1. 78

   badeggposted 11 years ago

   Are sheltered children less apt to grow up and be successful in life?
   
   Children from good homes that are sheltered from the outside world, have all of their needs met on an everyday basis from birth to adulthood seem to have a more difficult go of it as an adult. It seems that once they are out in that "great big world", they are too less apt to focus on their goals, if any, but are more like a kid in a candy store and never seem to be able to settle down. What is your observation?

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2. 71

   lburmasterposted 11 years ago

   Not always. They do have to learn everything socially years after other children. But they can still become successful if they focus. For example, I've known quite a few homeschoolers (myself included). Homeschool parents often shelter their children and keep them in churches or around other homeschoolers. When they go to college, some of them have difficulties handling it. But the parents who provide balance have the children that succeed quick, with limited stress, and still have a strong family relationship.

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3. 62

   Lisa HWposted 11 years ago

   First, I think it's important to clarify that there's a difference between being overprotected (and "kept away from life, other people, and reality") and from coming from a good home in which parents are capable, loving, nurturing, and skilled enough not to over-protect (and to instead somewhat limit some of what kids are exposed to while also helping them to learn how to process some of the difficult stuff as it comes along).  Kids from the kind of "good home" I'm referring to don't live a cloistered life.  Instead, they have parents who gradually encourage/allow them to expand their world and experiences, but with the aims of keeping some of what is "real life" or "reality" within some age-appropriate context.
   
   Having a nurturing/"good" home is not always having "over-protective" parents, as many people tend to believe it is.  One other thing to note is that while "having all basic needs met" tends to be an obvious one, children (all people) have a set of "higher needs" that aren't always obvious to people who don't understand what those "higher" needs are.  Even the best, most loving, "good home", doesn't always manage to meet ALL the needs of a child.
   
   One observation is that there is Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" (you've probably heard of it).  It's the representation of psychologist Abraham Maslow's theory that before someone can go on to "working on" /accomplishing having higher needs met he must first have all his most basic human needs met.  It's a pyramid, with things like physical safety, food and shelter at the bottom and "mental/emotional" needs higher up.
   
   The appearance of having "all needs met" in a good home doesn't necessarily mean they've been met.  In general, kids from loving, nurturing, homes tend to develop well.  I'd compare childhood to involving a certain amount of "incubation" of an immature individual, with the gradual "decreasing of control of environment" as the child matures and is able to better cope with/understand the "realities of the outside world".  The "great, big, world" is not a shock or surprise for children from truly good homes.  Having been both sheltered (somewhat "incubated" until mature enough) and prepared for it, kids from good homes enter that outside world with an advantage that has nothing to do with material stuff or having unmet childhood needs.
   
   There can be a downside and "strings" that limit what one will do to succeed; but I think inability to focus on goals isn't usually the real problem..

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4. 44

   padmendraposted 11 years ago

   I have quite a lot of examples around me where the person is equally capable of things that others can do, or I should say they are empowered by many more unique qualities that we all may not have but they do not realize the same and start thinking that the way they are made to feel from the ordinary people around. They do not meet their qualities until somebody specially thinking about them and has the desire to bring out them from this trauma , helps them to realize and utilize their qualities and capabilities. The moment they get supporting hand they hold that person in their life, put him at the top of priorities and take him the same way just like a creeper holds a tree.

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5. 79

   Relationshipcposted 11 years ago

   I think we grow from the lessons we learn in life - including failures and hardships. If we are too sheltered from those things, and do not experience them, then it can be hard to grow as a person and really understand who we are and where we are going.

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6. 70

   Angela Blairposted 11 years ago

   My cousin had two boys and she and her husband worked diligently to see that their children, coming from a more privileged home, knew how the rest of the world worked, understood poverty and having less and tried to give the boys skills that would allow them to live successfully in "the real world." Both boys were under seven when my cousin was delivering Thanksgiving food baskets to the poor and she took the boys with her to experience the satisfaction of sharing. They'd gotten out of the car in the projects of Dallas to deliver a basket to a very poor black family. The mother of the house came out the door and met them in her small front yard, took the basket, expressed her gratitude and went back in the house. When cousin and the boys got back in the car the youngest immediately said "Wasn't that nice of those folks' maid to meet us and take the basket for the family!" My cousin said she cried all the way home as she felt she'd failed miserably. Actually, her youngest son is now a lawyer and a preacher, working among the needy and each summer goes to a foreign country in need of his services to work pro bono. I'd say she didn't fail at all -- just out of the mouths of babes!

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7. 74

   ParadigmEnactedposted 11 years ago

   Actually no.
   
   The more care and support one has in life the more likely they are to have options and succeed throughout their life. Believing otherwise is one of those cultural myths akin to "the outcasts now will grow up to be really popular," "the good guys always win," or "so and so is going to burn in hell when they die."
   
   The underprivileged never stop getting dumped on and the fortunate ones never stop being that way. The rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer.

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8. 81

   gmwilliamsposted 11 years ago

   Sheltered children do not possess the necessary life and survival skills. As adults, they are quite vulnerable.  They are risk averse, poor decision makers, and have poor judgement skills. read more

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9. 38

   ud1093posted 11 years ago

   Shelter from world matters a lot in growing up of a Child but at last it all depends on his thinking and how he improves on his thinking I think being sheltered also one can become successful in life.If a child is not ready to accept the world as it is then the shelter can be said that it is a bad thing but if he can if he grows mature enough then good work parents.Outside hardships and other things don't matter util you know how to deal for that you have to experience them first but you can also learn from others mistakes or actions so I'm kind of against the motion.

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