Redefining the obvious

I've recently been encountered with the question, what defines a good parent? I'm not a parent so I can't speak from experience but I will say this... A parent or any person for that matter is a good person when they provide love, support, encouragement, and prayer for you. People often carry this common misconception that says that you are a good or caring person if you are a provider. A sugar daddy or a pimp can be a provider but does that make them a good person? A sex offender can be a provider but does that make them a good or caring person? The answer is quite obvious to me. Just because you financially support your child which by right is your God given responsibility doesn't mean that you have shown them love. Your child didn't ask to come here in the first place so why is it a burden for so many people to financially support their kids? It's not your child's fault that you HAVE to work or you HAVE to provide. You signed up for the task when you laid down and did what it took to conceive them. Men often time deny the role that they play when a child is conceived. No woman can trap you unless you want to be trapped. Protection works both ways and the best way is to not do it at all. To me a good parent is one who tries to set a good example in front of their children and don't lead hypocritical lifestyles... A parent who strives to be the best parent and spouse that they can possibly be. How can a father per say, down his wife in front of his children or down his children but then expect them to grow up, respect him and know how to treat a woman or if they are a woman, know how to be treated. Often times it's hard for a child to separate the treatment that they are receiving from their parent from the treatment they see their parents receiving from one another. You could have the best parent in the world and have the worst example of a husband or wife in front of you or vice verse. In even worse cases, you can have a horrible example of both and simply be stuck with a provider or a sperm/egg donor. In my perspective this concept of the "provider" is just an extended version of the parent that is just a sperm/egg donor. A parent who is forced to pay child support is indeed a provider, but does that mean that they care? Most of the time it doesn't. So thank you for creating this burden that's commonly referred to as your child, paying her way and often times providing transportation, but no thanks for the cruel words, degrading and discouraging talks, rude ways, idle threats and lack of emotional/spiritual support for both your wife and kids especially during tough times. Job well done!