Mary Anne's Father - really strict?

[Deleted]

I think part of the problem was that "young MA" was the only tie Richard had to his wife aorund him daily ( I could swear that in one book, someone said MA looked exactly like her mother) so if he let her gorw up too quickly he thought he might loose that, or if he stopped being protective something may happen and he would loose her too.

Second, when I was younger I usewd to dread having Richard as a parent lol. But now I realize that he was doing the best he knew how. If it was his personality and nature to be overly protective, organized etc, It would go into everything he does from work, to the way he raises his daughter, and with no one his own age around to tell him to lighten up and the fact that MA was the last piece of his wife he felt he had...that just made for a rough situation for him. And in this case I can't blame him for the way he treated his daughter. This is most likely why he lightened up so much when Sharon came along.

Finally, if you noticed he began to lighten up near the end of MA Saves the Day and onto the next couple books. I think this is cuz MA proved herself to father. She proved that she wasn't a little girl anymore, that she was able to take care of herself and others. And I think that pushed Richard to begin to realize it too.

Anyway sory for that long rant if you couldn't tell I'm a psychology major and I get a little carrie away on topics like this

[lyricalangel]

^Everything you're saying makes perfect sense. That's cool that you're a psych major. I have to take a lot of psych type classes for my major.

[msstock87]

I always liked Richard actually. We were told how strict he was in the books, but in my opinion I think he was one of the more responsible, loving and genuinely caring parents in the books.

[baseballchica03]

^ I totally agree! They all think Richard is so strict, but he's seriously the only one doing any parenting at all in Stoneybrook!

[msstock87]

It does seem like that, sadly. If I lived in Stoneybrook I would want him as a parent

[aln1982]

Agree with all of you on wanting Richard as a parent and thinking he's one of the only ones doing any parenting. I've ranted on this several times before (like Fallenangel I find it hard to stop myself but I wish all of the BSC parents would have actually communicated more with their kids. I have always had a really close relationship with my parents. We're really open and honest and upfront with each other (and even enjoy spending time together and I wish the BSC books would have had at least one relationship like this that I could really relate to. Even some of the better ones - Stacey and her mom for example - just lacked something, in my opinion. (Not able to really convey my point but hopefully you can kind of understand what I mean) Stacey would always get very embarrassed by her - gasp, MOM! I know this is perfectly normal but it is not true for ALL kids. Not to say I don't occasionally get angry with or embarrassed by my parents, just not as frequently as the characters, it seems.
What's your major lyricalangel? I remember you also mentioning some early childhood ed classes.

[sotypical42483]

Richard would not be the parent I'd want in Stoneybrook as a 13 year old. I mean I agree with you all, he isn't strict, but MA's the only person who has to like, ask to do anything and at 13 I'd want the freedom the other girls have

[lyricalangel]

Early Childhood Education. They throw a lot of the childhood related psych courses in. I just took Psychology of the exceptional child. I took regular psych and sociology a few years ago.

[Deleted]

lyricalangel said:

Early Childhood Education. They throw a lot of the childhood related psych courses in. I just took Psychology of the exceptional child. I took regular psych and sociology a few years ago.

I just finished Develoment Paych of the Child, and an Abnormal Psychology course...it's kind of amazing thes baby-sitters or the kids they sit for don't have anything seriously wrong from the lack of parental involvement lol. But I agree with everyone else from all the books I've read These kids don't have parents going anywhere with them. I know darn well that when I was 13 my parents would never even have let me baby-sit for someone I didn't know let alone Travel all over the country and out of the country by my self for that matter.

Though I do suppose that if the parents really acted like real parents there wouldn't have been much of a series now would there? LOL. Imagine the entire series like the Richard MA chapters from the first few books? Oh man, now that would have made for some boring reading hehehe. I guess I can overlook the fact that the parents are irresponsible cuz it makes the story better haha

[aln1982]

I just read MA's Book and love Richard in it! It just reinforces my opinion think he's a really good dad - maybe formal but not all that strict.

[mckay]

Funny, I just finished both abnormal and child psych as well, with developmental and social on the horizon. I may switch to a psych or ece major just because I've got an excess of credits towards it. Or I'll get my liberal arts major from my current school (junior college) and go for something else at a four-year...

[Kylie90210]

I like Richard now, I didn't think too much of him before I guess.
He becomes more absent though, which is not cool.

[aln1982]

^ I didn't like that, either, when it seemed like he started to travel a lot for business.
Do you think the strict references in the chapter 2s were sometimes so they could say that he loosened up because of Sharon as a way to tie into that whole story?

[liss31d]

Stacey would always get very embarrassed by her - gasp, MOM!

I'm not sure... I remember in Stacey vs. the BSC, eve though her mum joins her party with the back to front baseball cap, Stacey didn't seem that embarrassed but actually liked the fact that her mum was having fun... I think they had a pretty close relationship in general.

[lyricalangel]

^I like reading about Stacey and her mom. It reminds me of my relationship with my mom.