Hi Penni,
I couldn't agree more about the benefits of swimming. Also, the peer group tends to be cleaner living and (I think) less likely to get into the drug scene or even to smoke, thank God. Our kids swam at a small private club and participated in many meets throughout the county. We seldom saw what I refer to as "Little League" parental behavior -- only once, as I recall, where a father berated a very small child for not winning, bringing out in me one of my extremely rare moments of fury bordering on rage mixed with disgust for the father and pity for the child. But that era in our lives is over. My youngest quit, I think, just because none of his current friends were on the team, and my next to youngest went away to UVA. The youngest (17 year old, HS senior) is looking at FSU where many friends are going.
I don't approve of home schooling, although I have a colleague who has done it with all of his kids. It seems to me that socialization skills will be sorely wanting, especially in this heterogeneous world. But I think they should be permitted to do it if they choose, although I balk at giving homeschoolers parity with high school sports schedules.
One of the great lessons for children (I think like yours and mine) who are loved,listened to and generally respected as little ones,is that the rest of the world will not treat them that way. This has to be learned and accepted as early as possible. They need to learn that there will be decisions made for them that are arbitrary and capricious by teachers, coaches, law officers, etc,. and that even though these people may be "wrong", they must be respected and obeyed. I remember my wife (who works) complaining to me once many years ago that our nanny, a wonderful British girl, would let the kids have cinnamon toast, but not a doughnut. Clearly ridiculous, but I thought this was a good lesson for them for those reasons.
I agree with you that our country may have gone a bit overboard on rights. In our paper today is a man who has killed several of his children, and repeatedly has been let out to abuse the living ones. He has also continued to procreate additional victims. I don't think court ordered sterilization is cruel or unusual in many instances. Another disagreement between me and the ACLU, what do you know.
Jack |
