Stupid Parent Tricks is a segment that David Letterman will never have on his show. The Stupid Pets Trick segment probably keeps his staff more than busy enough --- they couldn't possibly handle the volume that they would surely be inundated with, if they resorted to the low hanging fruit of Stupid Parents.
Of what seems to be endless controversy in the media, and the topic of discussion around the water coolers and latte machines is how our kids now are supposedly doing much worse in school than their predecessors - how they are becoming obese couch potatoes - how they are oversexed and violent - how they dis-respect their teachers and other authority figures -- on and on, ad nauseum ..........
Part of the controversy is whether these perceptions about our kids are true --- some of which I believe are, while others I believe not --- with the other part of the controversy being What is (are) the cause(s)?
In the Spirit of David Letterman's Top Ten Reasons segment, I am going to do a Top Ten on Stupid Parent Tricks. I will spread this out over the next several months of postings.
As part of this Thread of Postings, I will try to address how we are raising our kids today, in comparison to other generations, places and times; I will try to separate some of the facts from fiction, as to what our kids are really doing and capable of, and how we help or hinder them; and I will postulate on how we are shaping the future for our kids through our actions now.
It of course would be impossible to tackle this kind of project without commenting on schools, teachers, the legal system, and a host of other Institutions and Players, who have an impact on Kids' lives.
I am taking the attitude however, that whatever action those other Players take, it all comes back to the Parent(s). The Buck stops with the Parent(s) - if they want to see changes in the institutions that affect their Kids lives --- they can do so through the Political Process, and more importantly and effectively, through the Social Consensus to which those Institutions and Players look to for guidance (fingers in the air - seeing which way the wind is blowing).
DISCLAIMER: AUTHORITY AND VALIDITY OF MY OPINIONS
- 1) They are MY opinions (other than the comments readers may submit), and I do not claim to have any special credentials for their validity.
- 2) I am a parent --- and I would need a lot more numbers than Ten for the Stupid Parent Tricks I have performed.
- 3) There are probably a whole lot of folks out there who will have better opinions and advice than I have --- and I invite them to toss their hat in the ring and give their opinions in the Comments Section. (I do not censor comments to my blog unless patently offensive or spam)
The number one rule that I will follow in this exercise is that it is going to be flexible --- I will start with the Top Ten Countdown of Stupid Parent Tricks --- but reserve the right to add as many numbers as is necessary.
NOW ..............
The NUMBER TEN STUPID PARENT TRICK:
Hannah Montana
Check out todays' Metro Section in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel www.JSonline.com/Milwaukee , page one HANNAH OVER YOUR WALLET.
First of all, I don't think the kind of concert that Hannah Montana - a fictional Disney Pre-Pubescent Femme Fatale - is the kind of fare that 9 year old girls should be dying to see, and their parents encouraging them to do so.
And I certainly as a Parent would not pay some scalper $700 - $900 - $1000 for tickets for such trash!
What is the lesson here Parents that you are trying to teach their child ? If it was Disney on Ice --- there is something to be said about the athleticism of the skaters, and possible inspiration for young girls to engage in athletics.
With Hannah, is the point to teach 9 and 10 year old girls how to Vamp and look Sexy ?
What is the value of money being taught them ? When they have graduated from college (which less than half of them will do) and they are in some job that barely lets them meet normal living costs - what kind of financial (realistic) role model was set for them ?
For a Parent who does spend that kind of money a whim of their 9 year old --- maybe they can make a lesson out of it and take a drive through the parts of Milwaukee where people are not as fortunate - with an unemployment rate over 50% -- and if you are really lucky, you can show them a family being evicted because they didn't have $700 for their rent - a least that can give them some perspective on the Real World.
What do YOU think? Please give your thoughts in Comments below.
For some thoughts on the current presidential race, visit my other blog at
http://nonconventionalwisdomperspectives.blogspot.com/
