The Giving Tree, from child's view to parent's

So my daughter has a new favorite book that her awesome Aunt Avo gave her for Christmas.  She constantly is having me read it to her, and although it is long, she loves it.  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein is the name of it, and I too remember loving this book as a child, but apparently, your view on certain books definitely changes once you are a parent.

As a child I remember loving how sweet the tree was to the boy and how she took care of him and loved him no matter what he did.  I also remember thinking how much she loved him to give him everything she had, and then that the boy was so sweet to return and spend time with her again at the end. 

Now... as a parent I see it quite differently.  I notice how much the tree does for the boy and how much he leaves and totally deserts her for long periods of time.  And how everytime he does show his face he tells her he NEEDS something and that what she has isn't good enough unless it provides him with what he wants.

How come the boy doesn't go out and get his own lumber to build a house, or go out and get a job and make money, and then when he was older he could buy a canoe?!!!  Why couldn't the tree have just been there to help him come up with ideas for jobs, or help him jump start his career, or be supportive?  Then when he needs a house he goes and builds one, and the tree can stay a full tree and be made into a swing for HIS kids.  Such a sweeter story don't you think?  It just seems like the tree does anything and everything to make this boy happy and he NEVER says THANK YOU!!!  Not once, he comes, takes, and leaves, and then waits forever to come back and visit, I guess this is all we should expect from our children?

I THINK NOT!!!!  So I will definitely keep reading this book to my daughter, because it is one of her favorites, but I tend to add thanks yous, and pleases, and could yous, and I hope that when she becomes a parent, she can't say that i was like the tree.  Because although I would do anything for my children, they can't become the productive acheiving adults like my parents raised just by having everything handed to them.  Sadly that happens a lot now a days, we so badly want our children to succeed that we are willing to give up everything and do everything for them so then can be great, but then it isn't them who's becoming great, it's us, and then when we are gone, they will have no stump to sit on, they will have no support, and surviving on their own will be so much more of a challenge then it should have to be.

Being a helicopter parent hurts your children more then you think, being protected from certain things is very important, but to build character, true character, they have to face most of their challenges alone.  Then they will truly be amazing adults and show this world what the next generation has to offer.