Howdy All, good news it looks like the Internet sector's making it's comeback. Joe, waiting to hear from you hoping your family escaped healthy and relatively untraumatized from the events of yesterday at that high school in Colorado. Blue, hope your friend is fine. Been saying prayers for all who endured it, and prayers it'll never happen again. What makes me sick is I already see signs of this being used to tout a soapbox platform like control of guns or to make some money.
More nationwide fallout again this year, as more schools will this time respond to all those sales calls they'd be getting from the institutional security firms. More misuse of education money coming for metal detectors at the door (but not all doors and windows) and uniformed guards in the halls (but not all the halls)so supplies and events will be cut. It wouldn't prevent the problem and it spoils the proper environment for our nice children to enjoy their teenage years and get an education outside an atmosphere of suspicion and inherent threat of violence. In the name of prevention, here's one more
punishment for the majority for the misdeeds of the few, same as making guns illegal would only make them accessible to criminals, so what else is new. So now more of our children will be going to a high school that looks like a prison and all will be under suspicion for the smallest misbehavior. The anger and blow to self-image resulting will most likely tip the balance for a few who will enter the criminal population and would have been okay had things been left as they were (letting them bloom under supervision in a wholesome high school atmosphere). Why are these incidents increasing along with the heightened "zero tolerance policies" regimentation, then? I agree with all that has been said on this board about parental involvement and supervision being first in importance...A Parent Has To Be Strong And Not Back Down. Many factors vie from the git-go to take the reins for their children from their hands. Some teachers allow bullying and harassment of "ugly ducklings" and "odd oggs" to go on unhindered in the mistaken view it's part of the natural development and toughening for the world (so it seems to the child like it's okay). So many parents either are reluctant to "interfere" with negative interactions among children - or they bury their heads in the sand like ostriches if there's a possibility that there might be "a problem" with a child because it's an ego/esteem issue for themselves. Adolescents beating their wings against the bars of their cage: wanting to choose their own friends, wanting to stay out later than they should at places they don't belong, wanting to have all their conversations and activities uncorrected and unmonitored by parents can make life hell around the house to get their way and many parents give up from the pressure. Other parents, coaxed into believing they're amateurs, trust others who claim greater professional competence at the upbringing of children who say just drop 'em off here and leave it up to us. When something the child tells them doesn't sound right, they put off facing the issue and hope it just goes away; and because the child doesn't come to them again they think all is now okay. There are so many pressures on parents and this generation these days, who knows where to start, except at: 1) The Difference Between Right And Wrong (do wrong and you won't know or feel it's right to protest if wrong's done to you)
2) The Golden Rule (treat others as you wish for them to treat you)
3) It Either Belongs To You Or It Doesn't (if you take what belongs to others you won't be able to tell what does belong to you, or feel empowered to get it back if someone else takes it from you). 4) Unconditional Love (I always love you and because of that I need to correct your behavior because that's my job as your parent).
So, that's the parent I try to be, my daughter and I enjoy each others company and talk freely with each other. We love each other, so far so good and it's been hard work but the rewards are so great.
Sure do hope nothing like this ever happens again...wish it hadn't happened ever at all. What a shock.
Best wishes to all,
Joan |
