For one thing, the media has changed. We no longer have Uncle Walter come on and tell us what happened in other places. We have businesses in the entertainment industry that are called News Shows. They deal in speculation and promotion of expert OPINIONS, what is, maybe's, scare tactics, and idle gossip.
They use leading words; "He could have been killed", so what do you think will happen next, so do you think he will run?, police are still investigating, blah blah blah. Who cares if Lindsay picked up a stinky necklace? That for the yellow journalism tabloids- not the 6:00 news.
The world is a smaller place, and we are waking up to things that used to be ignored; human trafficing, interdependance on world finances, politicians who can't stop lying yet get voted into office because people get their information from sound bites. Who has time to read, anyway? MY KID IS UPSTAIRS ALONE AND HE MIGHT FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE HIS IMAGINATION! So I have to ignore my wole life and schedule the living daylights out of HIS life so he won't be bored.
Because everyone is now oversheduled, (I don't know if this applies to you), but people treat thier kids like the dog. Nice house, nice yard; chain him up in the nice yard and provide expensive food. No time spent to gether and no real training. Why is my kid acting out or hiding in his room playing video games all the time? GO OUT AND PLAY!
But kids aren't taught how to play or use their imagination. Used to have a garge with a hammer and sw in it. Maybe some leftover lumber laying around. Paper and scissors and glue. Crayons. Friends, bicycles -FOR GOD'S SAKE DON'T GET HURT! I need to "ride bikes" with you but I don't have time now.
Education used to be t=learning how to think. Where to find information and how to be discerning. Now, it's job training. No imagination. No writing skills. No desire to read. Spelling? People are using what I call "textlish" nmow.
When I was a kid and you came home with a cast on your leg, Pop came home and whapped you on the head for being careless and friends signed the cast. Now your parents sue everything that moves.
My take; Get a job cloer to home so it doesn't take so long in traffic. Stop worrying about "stuff". Teach values like if your kid doesn't have the lastest gismo, at least he has a brain. Learn how to use it. Spend time showing him how to use a wrench or hammer. What's a seed and how does it become a flower? How do you wash a car? How do you fly a kite and why does it fly? They don't teach this stuff in schools anymore. They're worried about test scores and funding.
Show the kids how to greet people and talk to them. Kids are on the computer and phone all day while they feel more and more isolated. They go to the mall and spend all their time on the phone to other people. Give them a book by Dale Carnegie and show them what a discussion is. How to consider other points of view. Going to work every day isn't demonstarting the value of work. Kids have come to expect things like a trophy for showing up. They expect a job while not having a clue what that means. Stuff may keep them from barking in the back yard, but what are they talking about and larning while spending alll that time with a video game or chat line?
Uncle Ernie got carried away again...
I guess I wish I had learned some of those lessons myself. There are souls in heaven grateful that I neve had kids.
