My Facebook Thoughts

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Debate This

I originally wasn't going to write a blog today. I'm kinda on political overload.
As I read the news this morning two stories caught my eye.

Mother Pleads To Son, "Turn yourself in."

Limo Driver Calls Police On Teens

In the first story a mother recognized her son's face on the news as a suspected murderer of a teenage girl.

In the second story a limo driver calls police as underage passengers in his limo bring alcohol on board. Some parents complain about his actions.

In one case a mother steps forward knowing full well her son could be found guilty of a serious crime and go away forever. In another case parents are upset their kids got caught breaking the law.

This raises the debate on good parenting. I know parenting is hard and my kid can't even cross the street by himself yet. I have been a kid and I know what kids try to do. But, would I complain if someone turned my kid in? I want to say, "No." If I knew my kid did something wrong would I try to get him to confess? I want to say, "Yes."

Being close to the education system I know there are many parents that want their kids to get a free pass on everything, right or wrong. There are also parents that don't let their kids get away with anything. What does this do to our future?

I believe it's ok to tell your kids, No. I also believe it's ok to skip chores for a day and go to the beach. It can't be OK to expect kids to think the rest of the world is going to let them slide. The world doesn't revolve around them. Kids need to know that there are consequences to their actions. What happens to them in the future?

I ask many questions, but I offer few answers. I don't know them. Let's debate this.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw this last week and it starts the debate. You have a minute to rebut:
The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a
methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining
county and he asked me a rhetorical question, ''Why didn't we have a
drug problem when you and I were growing up?''
I replied: I had a drug problem when I was young:
I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for
weddings and funerals.
I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults.
I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie,
brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of
the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best
effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if
I uttered a profane four-letter word.
I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and
cockleburs out of dad's fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out
some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline,
or chop some firewood; and, if my mother had ever known that I took a
single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to
the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in
everything I do, say, and think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack,
or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem,
America would be a better place.

Mark Ploch said...

Cockleburs ?