Family
"My family is the reason I am the way I am" - Billie Eilish
And thus it is the family unit that makes us who we are because it is where we began before we are socialized by education and then by the world. I have said it before and I will say it again that I absolutely love Patrick and Maggie's parenting style as it is very similar to how my father raised my brother and I. I relate to instruments, books, and art supplies present throughout our home right at our fingertips for us to grab and learn whatever we wanted to at any given time. We were not home schooled, but their style of home life was the same in conjunction with systematic learning. My father was a chef in the navy for nine years so food, fishing, and cooking was a big part of our upbringing as well. He also never hindered our interests or who we were becoming as growing kids, but supported us. What I see at the foundation of Maggie and Patrick's parenting is freedom of choice and cultivation. While most parents give their children no freedom until they are legal adults, Patrick and Maggie gives Billie and Finneas freedom of choice from the very beginning. The idea is this: just because a person births a child does not mean they have to dictate who he or she will become. What I have personally observed is individuals engaging in marriage and family for all the wrong reasons. Men and women getting married just because most in their circle are married and they feel they are behind. They have children repeatedly to see who can have more kids than the other or to trap each other. Some are lonely and have no one to love so they have babies to fill that void. Others want someone or some situation to control so they boss their kids around just so that they feel powerful. There are so many scenarios and sadly none of these cultivate a bright future for the child. The O'Connells in my opinion have created a pro forma for all the world to see and I believe Child Development curriculum should take note because is it evident that the success acheived by Billie and Finneas at their ages (and fate plays a part but that's another story) is proven by their upbringing and the very intentional parenting choices made in the home. And sure, it's music, it's the industry, it's teen 'sensations' and I believe it to be true for those who came before them like Michael, Diana, Stevie Wonder, Brittany, Christina, Brandy, Monica, Aaliyah, Justin T. and Justin B, Rihanna, and so many more. There is an intentional cultivation that takes place within the family unit that allows all of them to become who they are eventually going to become no matter how diverse the individul parenting tactics are or the various roads taken to get them there.
Maggie Baird Talks Real Life Parenting and The World's A Little Blurry with Tig and Cheryl on their Podcast TRUE STORY: A Documentary Podcast
If you want funny, Tig and Cheryl are your girls! I had never heard of them before until someone commented on a Billie Eilish fan account post on Instagram. I ran right over, as an interview with Billie Eilish's mom, Maggie Baird, is always insightful, down to earth, and enjoyable. Most of the conversation reflects my same sentiments about family life, parenting, and Billie's rise to stardom, but for those who still do not know their full journey TRUE STORY: A DOCUMENTARY PODCAST with Maggie Baird is the place to be! Prepare to hear about Maggie's background, home life, Billie's Tourettes, and the documentary, Billie Eilish: The World's A Little Blurry.
Below is an excerpt from my full commentary and review of Billie Eilish: The World's A Little Blurry. It align's with much of what is discussed during the podcast. Enjoy.
