Their parents or their social environment?

What aspect do u think can "make or break"
a child towards being an emotionally and
responsibly healthy adult?

Parents are the most important I feel.

Since you added, "make or break"...I have to agree with bkw and say parents.

parents

parents or parenting?

I would go with nurture over nature.

Well... it would have to be the parents.

I think that parents play a big role, but there's only so much they can teach you about life, and they can't make your decisions for you. In my own experience, I had such a fun childhood and my parents were, and still are great.

But, the social environment I got myself into when I left the house everyday, also had a big influence on my actions, which were pretty crazy to say the least. Compared to most people I know, I've had a wild life, and it was mostly because of the people I chose to hang around with. My parents really had no clue about what we were doing, even though they did everything they were supposed to do as parents. But, looking back at everything now, I wouldn't change anything. Even the bad stuff. And plus, my parents know about it all now. Well, not everything I guess! Because I'm still pretty crazy.

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"Thou shalt covet thy neighbor's food"--Descendents

Origmnd said:


Oh hey! I didn't even see that part of the question. Well I'm not "emotionally and responsibly healthy" at ALL!

And what does that mean exactly anyway?
I don't think i would want to be like that. That just sounds like pukey buzz words used on shows like 20/20 and Oprah .

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"Thou shalt commit thyself into an institution"--Descendents

I think Parents are the basis of knowing right or wrong which then will help you with your social enviornment. If you have a good background to start with then your path is open to many options.. but you are in control of right and wrong.

i'll go out on a limb and say social environment

it directly impacts the child and also impacts the parents and how they treat the child. I think this is especially true for children who are not a part of the majority culture/ethnicity where they live.

The parents, but this is not absolute. Sometimes the social factors can override all that the parents try to do.

I believe it is neither the parenting nor the social environment.
Rather it is the child's response to both.
I say this because in my years of dealing with children from
every conceivable background, the children "turn out" to be
what they themselves determine to be.
I have seen many poor abused chidren turn out to be well
adjusted, productive citizens...many have become prominent
well-educated professionals. And of course I have seen the opposite.
It just seems that there is quite a bit of individuality at play.
As the saying goes when the world hands out lemons, some
make delicious lemonade and sell it for a profit.
Others sit sucking on the lemon with a sourpuss.

I do believe that stability is important to the young. I have observed
that children passed from home to home...(as in foster care
or this grandparent, then this aunt, or another grandparent)
tend to have severe emotional problems.

origmnd said:

People who answered 'parents' should go pick up a couple orphans at the children's home. These kids look up to adults in general. They might be 18 and have lived their whole lives in the childrens home, parent-less. It is up to adults and mentors to teach children right from wrong and self importance. Teach them about their environment and show them other places, other states, other countries, other people.

if their mentors are wack, they will be wack. If Michael thinks he is a 4 year old, then he should not be raising children. Sorry to make this a Mike response but look at his children, they will be a product of their 'parent and environment' (they will wear masks and think Neverland is like the rest of the world)