21st Century Family Values

Children ...
why do you cry?

Parents ...
What will you find?

On 10/16/05 Whaler responded to my QUESTIONS poem from the QuestionItNow Voices Blog. I have taken some editorial liberties in republishing Whaler’s comments. If I am not true to his intent, I am sure he will let me know.

Your questions can be answered by answering the first two questions. If you do this, the rest of the answers will fall into place.

If we focus on why children are crying, and what parents will find, it means we have our priorities straight. And we will raise children who understand the value of freedom and liberty.

Then these children will become the lawyers, politicians, and preachers of the future. They will have been given the correct direction and motivation to do the right thing for their families and country.

The big problem with this formula is how do we do this? Why are the children crying? Are they hungry? If so, what are they hungry for?

Are parents really even looking for anything truly important? Or are they too busy trying to keep up with the Joneses and doing things that really don't equate to raising healthy kids. Are we even raising our own kids anymore?

When I grew up there was not one daycare in my neighborhood. Today daycare is a huge industry. Why are we having children we don't want to sacrifice for?

I know, I know, times are tough. We are all told it takes two people working people to pay the bills. Why do we assume this is true? It really doesn't have to be this way. Our commercial culture tells us our priorities are in buying "stuff". Who is spending the quality time to raise healthy confident children and who are encouraged to think for themselves?

We also have to make children part of a family, contributors to the common good, not spoiled children whose family revolves around them and their whims. Parents have to take interest and pay attention to what their kids are doing. Parents can not assume they know what their kids are up to. Where is the discipline? We need to give kids direction - whether they like it or not. We can not be too afraid to be the tough, stubborn parent.

Too often we are afraid to do something our children won't like and they will rebel, take risky chances (like we used to) and do something that may get them into trouble. Hey, that is part of the learning process. People need to learn from their own mistakes, even if our friends may whisper about our kids not being as wonderful as their little Johnny. We still need to be there to nurse their wounds and defend them, when the time is right.

Parenting is damn hard work but our collective future depends on us doing a good job. We all need to re-focus and re-dedicate ourselves to leaving the world in better shape than we found it. Our children deserve this!

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