A big question which comes to my mind after reading the chapter "Parenting, Mutual Love
and Sacrifice", is what does a happy family strive for in life. Throughout the chapter, Christine E.
Gudorf stresses the fact the families strive for the goal of mutuality. Mutuality is defined as a
feeling or action experienced by each of two or more parties toward the other or others. As a
mother of two children, Christine E. Gudorf believes that everything is directed to mutuality.
Society's aspect on parenting is usually focused on self loving but, it truly involves mutual love
from all family members. With mutuality, families will be connected as one, but without
mutuality, family members …show more content…
Some people believe
that it is inhumane to force feed a child because they are obstructing the child's rights. She needs
to force feed the two year because if she doesn't then the child would be malnourished. Christine
E. Gudorf describes her relationship with the child by saying,"My husband and I were never in
control of the relationship with either of these children and are not now"(Gudorf 177). Without
some control of her children, there is no mutuality. There is no mutuality of peace because
constantly, the children don't listen to Gudorf and her husband. When Gudorf force feeds the two
year old, Mike, he just simply vomits it up after. This disruption of mutuality breaks up the
family relationship. Not only has this disruption of mutuality broken up the family relationship
but, it has broken up their family image. Gudorf explained this by saying,"They dictated where
we went and didn't, what we ate, all home activities, whom we saw, even how much sleep we
got. Moreover, they made it clear that they knew they controlled our public image;everyone took
their side"(Gudorf 177). Without mutual control within the family, Gudorf and her husband