Post by TRIPWIRE on Dec 26, 2004 11:04:29 GMT -5
December 26, 2004
Parenting
Written by David M. Hickerson
Originally Posted at tripwire.hickersonfamily.net/2004_1226.html
Being that I'm going to be getting my first glimpse into parenting in the next few weeks, it could be argued that I am unqualified to discuss the subject. I'll agree that I'm rather ignorant at the moment, but I'm still quite aware of some glaring flaws in the logic of some people. The holidays have helped tremendously in regards to my parenting concepts and ideas, but many things of course transcend the holidays season and manage to pop up in everyday life.
The first thing I'd like to mention, since Christmas is just around the corner, is the entire Santa Claus thing. I'm really not a Santa hater, but I do see some merit in the idea that perhaps Santa's role in Christmas should be a tad less. I was discussing this with one of my good friends and he expressed his concern that if he endorsed the Santa idea his kids would someday think that since he "lied" about Santa, perhaps he was lying about Jesus too. Obviously this idea can be applied to the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and probably to others too that I just can't think up at the moment. I agree that there is some concern, as I recall being rather upset when I realized that Santa wasn't a real person who could surpass the laws of physics and magically bring toys to kids every Christmas. I don't know if this has damaged my belief in God or Jesus, it is hard to say when you consider I didn't really hold those beliefs at all at the time, but I can imagine how it might.
Of course, the recent rash of shopping sprees at the stores has also brought to light a myriad of various parenting related thoughts. On several occasions I've wondered how it is that parents can get away with leaving their 10 year olds (or younger) in their car in the parking lot alone while they grab that "last thing they missed" or whatever. I don't know how many times I've seen this (before and during the shopping season) and it is rather sad if you ask me. Of course, even more curious, are the parents that actually do bring their kids into the stores. Wow, I've never seen people so push-and-shove all in view of their kids, and we have the audacity to wonder where they learn it from?
Violence generally begets violence. This is proven on a world-wide scale pretty much every day, but we fail to see it in our own daily lives. I don't know how many screwy kids I remember from high school that had parents that were even worse. Again, the "who did they learn that from" syndrome. I know parents have their arguments but some of the things I remember from the apartment my wife and I stayed in right before we got married were appalling... sometime even hearing kids cry out while their mom was being beaten by her drunken boyfriend or whatever... way too many times I read about these things in the paper, a few times I was woken up by them. Honestly I think the police are out there pretty much every night. It makes me sick to think about it honestly (which was a major point in why we moved) and I feel very sad for the children that have to live with that crap...
I guess I just feel like children are our most important "product" as a family... I figure you can judge an entire society by the children it brings up. I don't think we're doing too well in this regard right now, but I'll certainly do my damnedest to do better than some of what I see out there pretty much every day. Maybe it won't make a difference to everyone, but I am certain it'll make a difference to at least a few people.
Reference:
No reference materials were used.
Parenting
Written by David M. Hickerson
Originally Posted at tripwire.hickersonfamily.net/2004_1226.html
Being that I'm going to be getting my first glimpse into parenting in the next few weeks, it could be argued that I am unqualified to discuss the subject. I'll agree that I'm rather ignorant at the moment, but I'm still quite aware of some glaring flaws in the logic of some people. The holidays have helped tremendously in regards to my parenting concepts and ideas, but many things of course transcend the holidays season and manage to pop up in everyday life.
The first thing I'd like to mention, since Christmas is just around the corner, is the entire Santa Claus thing. I'm really not a Santa hater, but I do see some merit in the idea that perhaps Santa's role in Christmas should be a tad less. I was discussing this with one of my good friends and he expressed his concern that if he endorsed the Santa idea his kids would someday think that since he "lied" about Santa, perhaps he was lying about Jesus too. Obviously this idea can be applied to the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and probably to others too that I just can't think up at the moment. I agree that there is some concern, as I recall being rather upset when I realized that Santa wasn't a real person who could surpass the laws of physics and magically bring toys to kids every Christmas. I don't know if this has damaged my belief in God or Jesus, it is hard to say when you consider I didn't really hold those beliefs at all at the time, but I can imagine how it might.
Of course, the recent rash of shopping sprees at the stores has also brought to light a myriad of various parenting related thoughts. On several occasions I've wondered how it is that parents can get away with leaving their 10 year olds (or younger) in their car in the parking lot alone while they grab that "last thing they missed" or whatever. I don't know how many times I've seen this (before and during the shopping season) and it is rather sad if you ask me. Of course, even more curious, are the parents that actually do bring their kids into the stores. Wow, I've never seen people so push-and-shove all in view of their kids, and we have the audacity to wonder where they learn it from?
Violence generally begets violence. This is proven on a world-wide scale pretty much every day, but we fail to see it in our own daily lives. I don't know how many screwy kids I remember from high school that had parents that were even worse. Again, the "who did they learn that from" syndrome. I know parents have their arguments but some of the things I remember from the apartment my wife and I stayed in right before we got married were appalling... sometime even hearing kids cry out while their mom was being beaten by her drunken boyfriend or whatever... way too many times I read about these things in the paper, a few times I was woken up by them. Honestly I think the police are out there pretty much every night. It makes me sick to think about it honestly (which was a major point in why we moved) and I feel very sad for the children that have to live with that crap...
I guess I just feel like children are our most important "product" as a family... I figure you can judge an entire society by the children it brings up. I don't think we're doing too well in this regard right now, but I'll certainly do my damnedest to do better than some of what I see out there pretty much every day. Maybe it won't make a difference to everyone, but I am certain it'll make a difference to at least a few people.
Reference:
No reference materials were used.