Brainstorm

But there are also some things that parents should not do for their children too, aren't there?

I think there is a lot of great and somewhat humerous points to this blog. Parents can be way too involved in thier children's lives and rob them of the skills to negotiate and overcome challanges, rendering them inept. The most critical point made, I beleive, is the one about not letting your children play outside for fear they might be molested. Our society is literally obsessed with sending messages of fear. The local news has become nothing but a half-hour of safety tips and new warnings on daily household products that may be "deadly." The thing that saddens me the most is the real loss of childhood this has led to. Free time is too dangerous and childhood creativity is stifled in a flood of organized activities. Halloween, for example, is not what it used to be. I remember spending days putting together a costume and relishing in the chance to run around the neighborhood with a group of giddy friends and feast on sugar. We had the usual warnings of crossing the street and not eating cnady that appears open, but other than that it was a glorious free-for all and a childhood rite of passage. Now, most kids aren't allowed to even go trick or treating. They go to safer sponsered church or school events. If you turn on the local news you can see why parents are so afraid of Halloween, but what they don't realize is that more media doesn't mean more crime. Kidnapping rates are much lower than in the past and what are the real chances that your child is going to be snatched from a group of goblins or bite into a drug laced snickers bar? There were some weirdos on my street growing up and my parents were quite strict, but even I got to enjoy that one blissful evening of running the streets and I always came back alive. To this day, I don't have a single cavity either, so comon people, it's Halloween, let your kids enjoy the tradition of tricker-treating and don't hand out apples!

Perhaps those who most need to see/read this haven't!I have a few other items for the checklist: * you and your spouse regularly dine with your child(ren) - in separate cars, en route to different events/practices, where the meal comes out of a sack from a place that is 'on the way.' * Your child has a repetitive stress/use injury and is only 9 yrs old. * You cannot go to church because there is a game that conflicts with the service(s). * Your vehicle is equipped with a dvd player, satellite radio (or more), for the child with the MP3/iPOD and/or hand held game system. * Your child spends fewer hours at home most days than at activities (including school).
All in all - by all means, let's provide opportunities for our children, but let's also help them find their inspiration or talents while helping them in the areas that aren't quite so finely developed!