Extra Credit Questions

[L Verge]

I didn't realize that we were judging parenting skills compared to saving democracy -- silly me...

Good point, Laurie. But who do you think would be the better judge of Mr. Lincoln's parenting skills in the form of results, those who lived with and observed Tad Lincoln at the time or those making an assessment over 150 years later?

Previously, I made the following post:

Eva, do you see any difference between your assessment of Tad's character and Elizabeth Keckley's assessment of Tad's character?

You wrote: "I think Tad was well aware his behavior and actions often were not those of a good (behaving) boy, and that he made "(ab)use" of his "protected status."

Elizabeth Keckley wrote: "Tad had been petted by his father, but petting could not spoil such a manly nature as his. He seemed to realize that he was the son of a President – to realize it in its loftiest and noblest sense."

Elizabeth Keckley used the nurse's "quoted words," in part, to prove her assessment of Tad's character. You used only the same nurse's "quoted words" from Elizabeth Keckley's writing to prove your assessment of Tad's character.

I shared my thoughts, David, and I'm sticking with them. Personally, while Herndon had his faults, I think he was much like me and flat out said what he thought. Thank you, Roger, for sharing Herndon's thoughts on Tad because he was speaking from personal experience and saying exactly what I think 150 years later. How do you counter-attack that?

As for Elizabeth Keckly, while I admire the lady, I don't trust that her book reveals her real thoughts. First, exactly how much of Behind the Scenes did she write and how much was written by the publisher. Second, how precise would she be in her thoughts of the family when she is trying to be of some comfort to widow Lincoln? I doubt that anyone in her position would flat out say, "Folks, that kid was a brat and his parents did nothing to control him."

Don't be so star-struck with Mr. Lincoln that you close your eyes to the fact that he had human qualities (or in this case, lacked a sense of what society expected of fathers - especially in the mid-19th century).

P.S. You still have not answered someone's question as to whether or not you have children or have had experience with a variety of children and their individual traits?