Yesterday, I walked out of my house to walk the dog, I was confronted with a rap song with the f word repeated as the workers replaced the shingles on the neighbours roof! Yes, My dog also wondered why he had to listen to this!
Last night I listened to a "Post Father's Day Show" on CKUA focusing on songs with the word Daddy. http://www.ckua.org/pages/playlist As I listen to the program with nostalgia and thoughts of my "Daddy", I wonder how many youth would actually listen to these songs, especially a song like: That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine
This morning, I read with great interest Naomi Lakritz's article "it should be no surprise that the kids rioted" in the Calgary Herald on that it was no surprise that the riots occurred in Vancouver. Naomi asks ’why would we expect them to show good grace in losing?’ Her belief that keeping adult and children worlds separate was an issue. Focusing on child centred and “fun”, instead of bring the child into an adult world and expecting children in Naomi’s words to “acquire self discipline and patience, absorbing by osmosis the values of the community” or society one belongs to! By being left out of the adult world, they rioted because as they had not learned the values of society, they respond to the moment and one’s “juvenile whims”!
Her article made me reflect on a visit to my husband’s elderly aunts for dinner. The table was set with fine linens and china. As the meal was being plated in the kitchen, my two sons aged 6 and 4 were asked to assist them. To my horror, there were my two boys carrying out heirloom china cups to set on the table. I learned a valuable lesson from these two senior women, there was an expectation that these two young boys would do a good job and they did! What expectations are we placing on our children that prepare them for adult life? Have we protected our children so much they become frustrated and angry adults when the world no longer focuses on them?
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