The Parent-Teacher Project 20. Freedom: Raising Your Children To Make Meaningful Choices
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Jul 7, 2021 
Martin Fitzgerald, Head of Philosophy at Redfield College, dives deep into the nature of freedom and its vital role in character development. He challenges the notion that freedom means doing whatever we want, revealing how we can unconsciously fall into poor habits. Fitzgerald emphasizes the importance of self-discipline and intentional choices, linking them to true freedom. He also discusses how childhood habits shape adult lives, advocating for a balance between comfort and challenge in parenting to foster resilience and independence.
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Two Types of Freedom
- Freedom is not just the ability to do whatever you want but also about deciding to do the best you possibly can in life.
- True freedom involves making choices that develop good character and purpose, beyond simply escaping constraints.
Freedom and Meaningful Choices
- Having many superficial choices doesn't equal true freedom; meaningful choices matter more.
- Self-discipline is essential to freedom because addiction or bad habits remove genuine choice.
Student Struggles with Discipline
- A Year 12 student admitted knowing what to do about distractions but couldn't do it, revealing lack of habit formation.
- Virtues are developed through repeated practice and habit, like learning to play football.