This week's rambling bit of nonsense is on the subject of parenting. Or lack thereof.
When did it become acceptable to not raise your children and then blame someone else for how they turn out? With apologies to the worst president we've had in a while; it may "take a villiage" to raise a child, but it takes parents to raise them right. (Yeah, I know in theory that her husband was elected president, but she behaved more like a national leader than him, so there ya go. That's a subject for some other Tuesday)
It seems that parents today are horrified to find out that 4th graders are having oral sex, that violence is common in the schools, and that High School graduates can't read. But they still by their 4th graders clothes that say "Hottie" let them play First Person Shooter video games and don't read to them or let themselves be seen reading.
If you're 20 years old, and want to sprawl the word "Hottie" across your chest or ass, more power to you, but (yet another Tuesday topic) don't act offended when people treat you like the sex object that you've labeled yourself. But what kind of stupid, irresponsible, assinine, moronic, dumb-ass allows a pre-pubecent child to go in public dressed that way. There's a lot of fucked-up people in this world, and you don't know who they are. So why in the hell would you go out of your way to bring your child to their attention. That's just stupid.
First Person Shooter games are fun. A great way to relieve stress. I enjoy them. I'm also 26 years old and have a firm grasp on the difference between reality and fiction. I also know that in real life you can't start over when you get shot. Kids don't. If you kid isn't ready to see and understand the movie Platoon, they're not ready for FPS games. Before they're ready to play Battlefield 1942, have them read a book by Elie Wiesel. If they're not ready for one, they're not ready for the other. Plain and simple.
And read to your kids... read with your kids... read in front of you kids.
Then... on top of that, know what your kids are doing, who they're doing it with, and where they're doing it. Seriously. You're a parent, it's your job to be nosey, inconvienent and otherwise annoying. You have an obligation to your child, and to the society that you brought them into, to be sure that they are a beneficial part of that society. Take responsibilty for your actions. And make sure you know your children well enough that you're not afraid to take responsibility for theirs.
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