How were you raised?

Raised by Mom and Dad, engineer and teacher from NY state who met in college and moved to Sarasota, FL to start their family. I was first child, Mom taught me very young to read, say prayers, go to the library. Dad always had ambitious projects going; did all the finish work on our sailboat for example. Had very caring neighbors; my friends and I were too afraid of our parents' disapproval and punishment to get in much trouble. Rode bikes all over town. Never even heard the 'F-word.' Didn't like church but I understood the ten commandments were all-important. I always thought of my Dad as 'superman', he could whistle really loud and I came running home for dinner. Always had to say 'may I please be excused' and often the answer was 'no, you can stay here at the table till we all finish.' At Christmas we had to wait for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive and then and sit and have coffee before we could open presents, which were passed out one by one. I was given a lot of advantages like piano lessons, cub scouts, and summer camp. I knew we weren't rich but I really had no concept of my family's finances...I figured my Dad made enough money. When I was 9 he bought a '67 273 notch commando Barracuda...I used to wait end of the driveway for him to come home from work and let me drive it into the carport. Finally got a little sister in 1966 when I was almost 7, I looked after her as my Mom went into a depression. God spoke to her one morning and she became very religious and she and my Dad drifted apart. When they came home from family counseling meetings I could see my Mom had been crying. They divorced; Mom married a minister and Dad married a younger woman with two young daughters whom he adopted and we all were very close and still are. Around this time my best friend's Dad who everyone looked up to died suddenly. I was 12 and took all of this pretty hard, started losing weight and was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. When I got a job and a car I started feeling better but I didn't want to accept any more guidance from my family and they stopped giving it. Now we all get along great and on occasion my Dad has had all three of his wives sitting at the same table...I think that says something about him.

One valuable thing I learned is that 'if you think you are going to be sick, you will be.' In other words, keep my thoughts positive.

Looking back, I had a lot of advantages, though I did not appreciate them at the time.

I wonder why in our culture it seems like children and parents go through an estrangement period and then re-establish their bond as adults? Just food for thought....as Smallblock said let's keep this thread on the subject of "How were you raised?" This is turning out to be a really insightful thread.