Is American civilization in a decline? Are are morals and values corroding around us?
This is not a new issue. It's been asked for at least a hundred years or more.
What brought this to my mind was a discussion I had recently on burdens traditionally part of family life that are now placed on schools.
One example, many schools offer breakfast programs and after-school programs. These are designed in the first case to ensure children have the proper nutrition and energy to learn and in the latter case to keep children who might find bad things to do occupied after school. (Interesting side note: The National School Lunch Program was started by Congress in the interest of national security after many WWII draftees were rejected issues related to poor nutrition.)
These two things were traditionally the family's responsibility. It's been argued that there are more and more of these family responsibilities being shouldered by schools.
So if schools are shouldering the load, it must be because these are things that can't fall through the cracks. So why are we letting them fall through the cracks? Why is the American family paying less attention to their children at a time when they need more attention?
I will pose no answers here. Some argue it's the decline of religious influence. Maybe. But do we need religion to tell us what's good for our children and our society. Are we that dumb?
This is a great post, I have also noticed little things like school meals being offered before and after school. I know the answer you seek,it is all to simple.
ReplyDeleteIt is so simple, think about it.
Greed....it's that simple. Greed...
Mom and dad both work, someone has to watch little Johny. One mom or dad picks up six kids and takes them form one school event to another. The school becomes the baby sitter while mom and dad keep up with Jones's. Mom should stay at home while dad brings home the beef (or beans).
You can't have internet, cable TV, car payments' 2000 squar foot home and a boat with only one income.
We have done this to ourselves, it has nothing to do with religion. On Sundays mom and dad take little Johny to church and ask for forgiveness because they didn't see all the kids ball games that some other parent takes them to.
Trace history back a ways, it all starts with the women's liberation movement.
We are to blame, we did it. Now we pay. Kids are influenced by their friends than family. Drugs, sex and what ever rebelious trend is going on.
The fix, get mom to stay at home and go back to having family values. If mom can't work during school hours then she needs to be home. Traditionl family life style.
Great post M3, I am a stay at home mom I have time to fix breakfast in the mornings but my children preferr to eat it at school as all of the other kids are there eating and if they eat at home then they get to sit and watch the others while they have their breakfast..
ReplyDeleteI believe, most of the reason being for low income families to lessen the burdon on them is one reason for offering the breakfast program. I think it is great as even I get up late sometimes and couldn't have enough time to fix breakfast.
There have been after school programs for a good while now girl/boy scouts used to be held at school right after ( back when I was in ) My mom didn't send me because she worked I wanted to go, then there are sports also after school. Are these bad programs? science programs... What about the kids that fall through the cracks and are not in one of these orginazations Not always are they willing to join something but parents have the option of putting them in one of these programs Not just to get rid of them but... as I have read a report on children who are active in band ( my kids, could be why i didn't read other reports on sports ect.) The kids in band on average have more orgaizational skills, higher gpa's and are in less trouble in school... Is this the reason I signed mine up NOPE When my daughter was 5 she saw script OHIO and when they dotted the I she cried she was moved that much, don't ask I can't explain it, but she said I wanna do that mommy So she is off to band.
I do agree that it is a good program for afterschool as maybe there is a study out there that says these kids do better in school. To me an education is very important. I was stupid not to go on to college and make something of my life and want more for my kids if that means MOM has to go out and get a job and put kids in a program because they are likely to follow the wrong path in life I am glad that they are there for them. I have not heard of one offered at our district ( doesn't mean it is not there) besides extra study programs that is.
Now on to firefighters responce
Why is it always blamed on MOM? Simply because mom wants to have a career she is a bad person? No matter the career choice of MOM she is always looked down upon for not being home with her kids where is DAD and why is he not to blame as well?Little Johnny does something wrong no matter what it is and MOM is to blame.
OH I forgot he is doing what society tells him is right and thinks he needs to send his wife back home because he can't handle a woman having a job? Or is it because he can't handle the kids?
Mom gets a second shift job because dad works first and she is being a bad wife and a bad mother just because she wants to pay all the bills on time?
I don't believe that the only people that have a 2 income families have the things you list. They work to pay the bills. MOM's work because they don't think dad should have to work 2-3 jobs and they believe that time spent with both parents ( even if it is at diffrent times durring the day) is important.
BUT lets go ahead and blame it on women's Lib. and say that no woman should have a job for a second... Does that mean that if your wife leaves you because she just can't stand you anymore that you have to go and get another job because she isn't allowed to work anywhere? What about the single moms out there with deadbeat dads? are they supposed to let their kids go hungery because they are not supposed to have a job? Or were they supposed to just stay with a man who beat the hell out of them on a daily basis because they can't afford to feed their children? You blame everything on a woman who wants rights or anyone else that is not a white christian male.. Get over yourself they are not that big of deal. And just because you believe it doesn't mean I have to nor does anyone else...
Here is a suggestion for ya firefighter since everything is so bad for you in this day and age build a time machine and go back to where you would be comfy...
as for me I am still stuck on the fact that your wife can work and you think it is ok for the white male standing beside her to make more money at the same job.
I will never understand it so please don't try to make me.
Fist, I'd like to say that I fully support after school programs, breakfast programs and the like. I actually work at an after school program. They are very valuable in today's society. My main point was how did we get to this society, which seems to place more importance on material goods than family values.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the answer is as simple as the women's rights movement. This movement probably came out of the industrial revolution and the development of technology which maybe maybe made it easier for women to enter the workforce. I'm all for women in the workforce but someone has to take care of the kids, even if it's the father.
I said greed was the answer not blame on the women. People wanted more so mom had to go to work. I am not anti women in the work place.
ReplyDeleteYou identified the problem now accept the answer.
Umm how else was somone supposed to read this?
ReplyDelete"Trace history back a ways, it all starts with the women's liberation movement.
We are to blame, we did it. Now we pay. Kids are influenced by their friends than family. Drugs, sex and what ever rebelious trend is going on.
The fix, get mom to stay at home and go back to having family values. If mom can't work during school hours then she needs to be home. Traditionl family life style.
"
That being pulled from your statement..Greed isn't the only reason there are two income families out there. I'm not going to argue this out it is what you said and how I responded to it. like it or delete it
M3 I agree there are great programs to get your kids involved in more...If you compair schools today to back when I was a kid, the kids are expected to know more before they are allowed in school and their brains are pumped with Test taking skills ( sorry that being my point of view there as that is what 2 classes at the middle school are is to prepare for the OAT tests.) Talking to one of the teachers a year ago she explained she couldn't take it anymore she was unable to teach as she once was as the state took over what she needed to do and she didn't have enough time to cram in book reports or projects... The kids that are graduating now are taking classes that are equal to what would have been first years of college.
Take for instance kindergarten... My neice is turning 5 in September, She is to know her ABC's how to write and identify each one. how to write her name and spell it correctly her whole name. and how to count to 50... They also have to know their colors and shapes.
Lets not even go back to me going to school just my oldest she is in 6th grade. she needed to say her ABC's write her first name and know her address and phone number.
schools have added so much on to what they used to have to know if your child didn't go to a good preschool then they are put in the slow class. and to have to pay to send your child to preschool, when you would rather teach them yourself and spend time with them before they have to go to school in kindergarten is crazy. And there is no easy answer. Today it is harder for a family to live, not even with a huge house boat ect ect. just to live with one income. there are always things that they must do without in order to have someone stay at home with the kids and not have the afterschool programs have their kids for an hour. ( I agree as well these are a great Idea) I don't think people using them just to send their kids away for a while is right but if it will help the child in one way or another That is great. as growing up in this world is becoming harder and harder.
I wasn't trying to argue that they are not a good idea at all sorry if I came across that way, It kinda lit a flame under my but to read another responce from my great friend blaming something else on a woman getting a job. And If I read your comment wrong you can email me about it or what ever as I don't think I read it wrong twice. I have been proven wrong before M3 after reading it I guess I owe you "Sorry" as I wasn't trying to say what it sounds like just compairing yester-years programs to today's that are offered.
Why does everyone take what I say the wrong way. I did not push a negative comment towards women in the work place. It was going to happen no matter what. Look at all the 24hr business's, we never had them when we were kids. M3 you complain about resource consumption, why do these stores stay open all night? Burning electricity and taking moms from home to work all night, is that necessary? Ohio is a coal powered state, we don't need to be open 24-7 for a handful of people that can't sleep.
ReplyDeleteThese 24-7 stores need to be manned and are by women that have children and should be home to get little Johny on the bus. If mom wants to work a $50,000 a year job and support dad then it should be dad at the bus stop.
You don't "need" a two income family you need a two parent family.
Birdie, come to one of my daughters softball games, I am one of the few dads that show up to watch the game.Why?
ReplyDeleteIf it were just a handful of people there shopping they would not be open 24/7 trust me and most stores use the energy anyways because they have people in there stocking the shelves why not have it open and make money while they are using the enegy anyways? Mom's working 3 shift isn't so bad. I did it and got home woke every one up for their day and sent them off then slept. we spent the evening together as I didn't need to leave till 9 pm which was an hour before their bedtime usually their time to watch TV with dad anyways. They didn't miss out on mom being at work and didn't have to have a babysitter. When they were not in school. I came straight home and went to bed then was up with them when they woke up.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I bash on you for the way you say things because that is how you sound... I can't say I had a better childhood because my mom was home. She didn't go to work till I was 16 and then it was while I was in school. did it help or hurt me no.
I believe that most of our generation thinks that their parents didn't give them enough as kids..and so they go out and get what ever little Johnny wants from the store. in return what are we getting? sure the heck isn't kids that turned out like you or I they are spoiled and think the world should be layed at their feet with no questions asked, these kids are out having kids right now and each generation gets away from how they were treated as kids, and into the grove of they can do anything they want,
Take for instance someone I know he has had everything handed to him. He got caught driving drunk, Mommy went and bailed him out instead of letting him sit it out in jail ( which is what I would have done and my kids know it at ages 12&10) then he overdoses we get a call in the middle of the night saying he is in the hospital his friends he was partying with dropped him off beside his house where he fell over and started seizing, Mommy rushes to his side and thinks the hospital is being mean to her baby, they have to go and get him new clothes to come home in and offer to take care of him. Lets not face the problem that your son is on drugs and is an alcoholic no lets go out and get him another reason lets take that same person and put him in charge of his fathers estate he will do a good job.. yeah right so now the druggy has access to fathers accounts that has thousands and thousands of dollars in it... exactly what you need to do to a 22 year old that is addicted to drugs. thousands dissappear each month and no one can say anthing about it because he has power of attourney over his father. Just to feed his drug problems... What ever happen to someone actually letting their kid fall on his #ss once and a while so they learn something? that My friend is the problem with todays kids and our future. of course that is my oppinion
My kids are off to school at 6:20 I get off work at 7:00 and am home at 7:30. After they are gone.
ReplyDelete