There are parents out there who think they are responding to a real threat to their children’s health by NOT having them immunized, citing incidents of children becoming ill and even dying after getting their shots.
Mothers have hissy-fits about inappropriate books in school libraries, but let their kids sit for hours playing violent video games…
We have experts writing books about the dangers of allowing gay individuals to adopt children or teach in public schools…
And then there’s the guy who thought it would be wise to give his eight-year-old son a crack at handling that Uzi at the gun club…
Parents are called upon to make vitally important choices on behalf of their children. Always with that paralyzing thought echoing in the back of their heads… "What happens if I f*** this up?"
In this country, though, we seem to have a talent for screwing things up. We really hurt our kids with the poorly informed choices we make.
Sometimes, the result is that children die of diseases that were "eradicated" in the 1950’s.
Or that bigotry is passed from generation to generation.
Or that we make such urgently, tragically stupid choices that our kids don’t get a chance to grow up.
Get your kids immunized. Monitor what they read and play. Let them interact with people different from themselves.
And don’t let them play with guns.
6 comments:
-and then we have guys like this who hand their 8 year old an automatic weapon...WTH???? A gun safety instructor and a father and now a young life lost. Stories like this is how we hunters lose ground. Now, watch and see how the NRA defends the instructor and the father.
I'll admit it is scary giving my children all of the reccomended immunizations-but then I look at the statistics - and they get the shots.
I am the meanest Mom in the world (according to my 2 young sons) since I do not allow video games in our home. I am also way "uncool" because I don't allow them to wear skulls on their clothing to school.
Raising kids has gotten a whole lot more complicated compared to when we were growing up!
It HAS gotten more complicated, but that doesn't give us an excuse to be stupid. I think most parents are trying to do the best they can. Unfortunately, adult life is complicated and parents learn early on to "pick their battles". It's so easy to just give in. However in choosing to become a parent, I feel that we signed up to do the dirty work it takes to raise responsible adults.
We don't do them any favors when we take the easy route. They don't learn about judgment and they don't learn that you don't get everything you want just for asking. I've tried to make choices with my kids that communicate my values. Sometimes they get it...and sometimes they don't.
Hi Silverdoe,
I agree it's a lot harder to raise kids. I grew up in a small towen with two TV stations, no video games and no clothes with other peoples names on them. Oh, the deprivation!
We did have a good library, good teachers, and caring parents. Of course my folks didn't both have to work so we could buy purple widgets this year because the green widgets were so last year.
But, with three kids, the garden, the canning, the sewing, the cooking and the baking I'm sure mom thought she was working full time.
That poor kid at the gun show and spam for brains hunters going after wolves with choppers and snow mobiles don't help the image of either hunters or small town America.
Amen! to all of your comments and Lisa to this post.
I am merely saddened that this young boy lost his life because the responsible adult(s) -- No Dad, you don't need us telling you how irresponsible a decision that was, but you're going to hear it anyway -- weren't paying attention.
Sadder than sad. For all of them.
I keep waiting to hear that the story about the kid and the Uzi is false...that it was a plant by some ultra-liberal group to stir up the gun control debate.
This is one time I wish we would find out it's a lie...
I can hear the passion in your words!
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