A Matter of Perception

I came across this. Read it in addition, my post is at the end.

"Real World" Training
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Tuesday we took a break and had lunch in the park. It was a quiet afternoon. Most of the younger children were down for their naps and the "school age' children were, well, in school. We had the park to ourselves. It was fun to just sit and eat our Jimmy John's and play catch.

As we were sitting there on a bench a car pulled up with two teenage kids inside. My husband remarked that it was time to go since the local high school had just let out and this park typically fills with rowdy teens looking for something to do.

The young gal lifted a baby out of the back seat and for a moment we both thought they might be young couple taking their newborn out for a little fresh air. Before too long, it became obvious that the baby wasn't real. I realized this was probably part of the mommy training the high school provides to show teenage girls the reality of mothering. They wandered over to the fountain where my two teenage boys were standing with their little baby sister, Elaina. After a few moments the "mommy" set the "baby" on the ledge near the fountain. She then started talking to her boyfriend, ignoring the doll. My son, on the other hand, had a a tight grip on his little "baby doll" making sure that she didn't fall into the fountain or fall off the ledge.

Now, I ask you, which student was getting the experience and training necessary to prepare them for parenting in the real world? Before you answer my son, think about it. It really depends on your worldview.

If you believe that children are a blessing from God then you would proabably answer my son. If you believe that children are a burden meant to be cast aside when they become inconvenient then you would say the high school girl. Each adolescent is being trained to believe something about children according to the truth that accompanies the training.

My sons are being trained to become fathers who will one day parent their children with the truth that children are a blessing from God. After chatting briefly with the young lady it became obvious that she viewed children as a pain and that the whole idea of become a mother was undesirable. Sadly, that's the prevailing attitude in the "real world" and this young lady is being trained to fit right in.

My Response: I was public school educated and had to carry an egg. I homeschool my son. I didn't think the school was teaching me that children were a burden. My family taught me that. There were 5 children in my family and my parents had a volatile marriage for over 35 years before divorcing. My Mother is a devout christian and forced us to go to church several times a week. Going to church does not a christian make.

Carrying around an egg just reminded me of the responsibility of parenthood. Not that I needed to be reminded. I have a brother 9 years younger than me who I had to help take care of since the day he was born. He's 27 now and I'm still taking care of him.

While I never envisioned having children of my own, my child has been the greatest blessing in my life. I make sure he is raised in a loving and stable environment. My family was a cautionary example for me. Going through that experience taught me what not to do as a parent.

I think the public school system is just trying to show potential teenage mothers that the prospect of singleparenthood will alter their future.

I became a singleparent at age 27. I doubt I'll ever get married. While some parts of society place a stigma on singleparents which is just another form of prejudice, I think how much I would have lost if I conformed to societal expectations because I wasn't married.

I had married parents and an unhappy childhood. My child has one devoted parent who makes him the first priority. I'm teaching him the value of self-reliance while my parents just warehoused me for 18 years.

I do agree that public schools are a large factory with their own agenda but children are still profoundly influenced by their parent's attitude toward parenting.

When a child grows up in a loving environment they have a different take on parenthood.
Lisa | Homepage | 04.10.06 - 5:37 am | #

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