I am supported. My parents try to let me be free to learn what I can from the world by myself without them having to step in too often to limit my movements. Although yes, I probably shouldn't have washed my hair in the dog's water bowl.
What their hope is that I will learn to become my own person without requiring approval for my actions from those around me. I think this is a tall order these days where so many people are worried about how they are seen by others that they are too scared to move themselves, too fearful to be free. I hope I never learn to worry about such things.
Needing people's approval sets one up to become a lifelong victim as once the power is placed in other's hands, they can use it to manipulate and restrict by threatening to remove their support. One must then always worry about how they are seen and act accordingly. It is easy to become a prisoner of the group by worrying about how one may be seen by strangers, easy to get slowly pushed off course from what one wants to actually do.
It would also lead to doing a whole range of things that one may not want to do but feels compelled to because of the need for approval. No wonder so many people end up in bad situations and get taken advantage of. When you need something to be a certain way, it opens one up to manipulation in order to get it. Or top manipulate others to get it.
The thing is, I don't know what I want to do, I have no idea what I am even good at yet. If I start acting based on other people's expectations of me, where do I end up in 20, 30 or 40 years? am I doing what I want, or what others want?
Well, for now I don't have to worry too much as I am pretty free to play and do as I please. I do get scolded from time to time but, it is always explained to me why. I don't always understand but in time, I think my understanding will build well enough.
Play you own game is what they keep telling me. I play a lot.
<3
Smallsteps