I am in a mood of sorts as of late. Call it a cranky mood. Call it a I-can't-remember-the-last-time-I-had-sex mood. Whatever...
So we don't watch the news in our home. We detest it. It's nothing but murder and weather and I can get the weather on my iPhone thank-you-very-much. Don't be surprised by my lack of knowledge of current events. So apparently there is this thing going on in the Middle East...who knew? Seriously, isn't there always something going on there? Well, now my 5 year old daughter knows too. How does she know, you ask?
There is a little boy in our neighborhood. He's about 8 and he plays with my son, who's 7, and my daughter. They race around the neighborhood on each other's scooters and bikes and what have you. It's a quiet place with very nice neighbors all around. But the boy's grandmother is something else. She's, shall we say...umm.... charismatic. She once told me that she watches the news and scours the internet for signs, like earthquakes, that will point to the coming of Christ and that she's in a group that concentrates on the information and shares it. Yeah...ummm... We are Christian. We believe that Jesus died for us. We fellowship with other Christians. We share our faith. We love. But we DON'T scare and alienate other people with our beliefs. This woman told my daughter there was going to be a big war. She's 5! She doesn't need to know what's going on outside her little world. Right now, she needs to concentrate on being 5, going to school, making friends, not being bossy to everyone, and just be a little girl. She does not need to have her innocence shattered and to have nightmares because of an old woman that can't keep her damn mouth shut. Okay...maybe I am a little more pissed about this that I thought. Deep breath...
So in my not-watching-the-news life, I still come across the news on the radio. None of it is very bad stuff. It's all pretty much the stuff they should show on the real news and keep the sensationalism out. Apparently Hostess, makers of high caloric but very yummy snacks, are going bankrupt. While I am glad the temptation will be removed from my sight, I will dearly miss my Suzie Q's, even thought I wouldn't be able to eat them until next year. No more for me! I am so sad.
I got up this morning to see my kids watching the news. Goofy children! News is not for kids. News is for people who like reality TV shows. No offense... I'm just not a fan of any reality show that promotes hostility, encourages promiscuity, or chooses to reveal the worst in people for ratings and the almighty dollar. I say a big NO to shows like Survivor, the Bachelor/Bachelorette, and America's Next Top Model, as well as shows that revolve around idiots like the Kardashian's. Ugh...
I really need to get laid. And spanked apparently.
(((hugs)))
Hi LM,
ReplyDeleteA lady whom we are very fond of, once told my teenage daughter that she would go to hell if she held hands with a boy. I was furious.
The local church that has an apocalyptic view of the bible and keeps an eye on current events, has gotten the message to all of our children at one time or another. Even though we do not attend that church.
They have scared more than one of them quite badly. It then fell to us to try and repair the damaged little psyches.
I guess the one thing that we came back to again and again, because we love some of these people and they are our neighbours, is that they really truly believe they are being helpful.
As one of those folks said to Ian once, if you knew a tornado was coming straight for your neighbour's home - wouldn't you a wrong not to try to warn him so he could save his family?
Our kids are of course older and only one teenager left, but you might check out Christian resources online that deal with this subject.
I am a pretty logical person, but I will admit to anyone that I have a fear of the Mayan 2012 thing. I know it isn't real, but somewhere in the pit of my being it has the power to scare me....kids have got to be feeling (at least some of them) similarly.
glad to see you posting, LM
hugs and love
lillie
Not a doom and gloom type story, but when I was little my Dutch neighbour took it upon herself to tell 6 year old Wilma that Santa wasn't real. That there once was a man Sinterclaus, but there was never or isn't a Santa in the sense that I believed. My mother was furious! I was the youngest of many children and as a mother I know how sad the loss of dream of Santa is in the house. Funny how I feel more for my mother in this story than I do for the little girl who was 'robbed' of a few more Christmases with St. Nick.
ReplyDeleteMy point is unfortunately there are so few things we can control what our children are exposed to, good or bad outside the walls of our home. Sometimes we as parents become more upset that our children have been exposed to things than the children themselves.
I suppose we have to just encourage them to talk to us about ideas that people give them. Allow them to tell us and listen in a calm manner, then help them process it the same way. Yeah...good luck with that! *wink*
Happy you decided to post...Hopefully the um, complaint at the beginning of this post will not be a factor too much longer.
Love Willie
I had very strong opinions, based on my own children's individual personalities and needs, regarding what they should watch.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, many times I was left cleaning up a mess of emotion after a well intentioned person educated them.
I think we can just need be open to their questions and share why we stay away from certain shows, or logically explain why we disagree with doom and gloom prophecies.
Hi LM - I agree, children should be allowed to just be children with their child's not adults's worries. If that woman is sincerely concerned and truly wants to warn your family, then she should come speak to you but keep her darn mouth shut to a five year old! Personally, I think people like that have a bit of sadist in them and enjoy the fear they can produce. grrrr - Sorry, sore spot with me. ;)
ReplyDeleteHope you get what you want and need sooooooon!
Blessings,
Cat
ha. i don't watch the news either. if i want to read local news i can check an app. which i have. and i don't check it ever.
ReplyDeletei would agree too that kids just need to be kids. let them be adults when they're old enough. sheesh.
LM, I have a few of these stories, myself. I was ready to *itch-slap one of my son's teachers who was shoving her personal political beliefs down the throats of 4th graders, and his 2nd grade teacher was lucky I didn't file charges when she told him that if people drink alcohol they can become alcoholics. He started crying hysterically when I let my daughter taste a drop of wine on her tongue at dinner, and finally managed to explain he thought I just turned his sister into an alcoholic drunk and she was ruined for her entire life.
ReplyDeleteIn the interest of brevity, I'm going to spare you the apocalyptic scare stories, but I agree emphatically that neighbors, relatives, friends and teachers have no business espousing their beliefs about anything to a child without checking first with the child's parents if it's advisable and permissable to discuss certain topics in the child's presence. I don't understand how adults cannot realize the danger to developing psyches that can result from a child being terrified by something that was not explained well or not understood in its proper context and importance in the child's life. Ggggrrrrr....
Good luck on gettin' some, sweetie! ;-)
I hope you are spanked soon. I know what it is like to be royally pissed without being able to get rid of it, you could unload on gramma... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI got upset and called our pastor and my daughter's Sunday school teacher over a video that they showed during Sunday School. The Sunday school teacher did not believe that children or anyone should celebrate Halloween. They showed a detailed video to the children about all the symbolism of the different things regarding Halloween. I told them that until that video my child celebrated Halloween as a fun, dress-up, get candy, play games, and carve pumpkin kind of Holiday. I told them now when my child saw Halloween decor or celebrations, she will think of all the horrible, devil-worship crap that they put in her head (which included child sacrifice). I told them they did that to my child, without my permission, and I was VERY angry. I told them that when we were young, we actually all made sure we stopped at our pastor's home to trick-or-treat to keep from hurting his or his wife's feelings. It all had to do with good clean fun, because we didn't include all that unnecessary information. I told them it was all about what is in the heart. I told them that when my child saw a black cat, she just thought it was a cute little kitty, but they put stuff in her head that was evil. We celebrate "Fall Fest" at our church now to make a safer enviroment for trick or treaters. We have since let go of that pastor, and the Sunday school teacher retired and moved to another state. Idiotic people with good intentions do stupid stuff. After I called and voiced my disbelief and anger, the video was not shown anymore at our church. (That is not why the pastor was asked to leave). They thought they were doing something right, but after hearing the reasons for the protest, realized they had made a mistake. I'm so sorry that your 5 year old had to hear that woman give her that information. I don't even like to read that part of Revelations. It's not going to take place while I'm here anyway. I'll be in a place where there is no war, no tears, no fear, no death, etc. Sounds like you are a good, protective mom. God bless you and all you love, Belle L.
ReplyDeleteI nominated you 'cause you inspire me. And I miss you. You haven't posted in FOREVER!! :( ***HUG*** Hope you are ok.
ReplyDeleteStill missing you :(
ReplyDelete