It may not be the government's "place", but we're already doing it via the schools. And honestly, we can't put that all on teachers. We need help. I would love to give the 111 children in my care all that they want from me- attention, care, college advice, nutritional advice, and education- but I am one person with 100+ children. And even though they are teens, they are children for the most part. Their parents are busy, and probably are relived their kids are running open loop, and they assume they can ease off- but that's the last thing we need.
SO- either make parenting compulsory, or put some stop gaps in for young men and women, because right now, I don't like the look of things. Doesn't mean society will fall apart, but our young men and women, especially the lower half, the ones who do not come from privilege, the ones who were never read to, the ones whose parents just want them to get a job and move out, they need guidance.
The US is such an odd place. We trumpet family values, and yet we seem to care very little for our teens. They eat horribly- and seem to operate with little parental guidance- unless you happen to find one of the unusual kids with parents who are not only married, but also are involved- and those kids get siphoned off in to enclaves of sports, band, or some other "community" (and essentially a "government" community, since this is all run by the school). But most kids don't have the commitment at this age to do things without parental support, or some outside requirement. Just as youngsters don't practice the piano for the most part if a parent doesn't say "You have to", they aren't going to act on their inspiration either.
So you can have government involvement or more nothing. I'd rather have government involvement- but then I am the government, so I'm more ok with it than you.
I got up at 6 to feed my daughter a hot breakfast of eggs and sausage and fresh fruit before she went to a band review (school sanctioned/government). I had to pay around 500 dollars this year so my daughter could be in band- because the busses cost so much, and the Disneyland trip will be another 600. Even if there were kids with no parental support who COULD do band on their own, they couldn't afford it.
I want those kids to be involved, and they should probably be involved with kids like mine. They should probably all rub shoulders productively in service to their community. I think it might be a very good thing. It it doesn't work, I'll admit it. But anything is worth a try. |
