The Perfect Mom
True Story #1- Nashville: In the news today is a story about the Mom indicted by a grand jury for hiring a stripper for her son’s 16th birthday. What, did she forget to ask the other minors to bring a note from their parents? Most 16 year olds have seen pictures of a woman’s naked body thanks to the internet and local video store. But, still...
True Story #2- Knoxville: "Cool parents" have keg party for high school student and his friends- with disastrous consequences. “We thought if they were going to sneak and drink they may as well do it at home where they won’t have to drink and drive.”
True Story # 3- Oak Ridge: “I was the perfect Mom. I bought him Playboys, his first bottle of wine, and I got him a dirt bike. Now he’s at Brushy Mountain Penitentiary for selling cocaine.”
The process of losing innocence is like going down hill on a one way street. You can apply the brake but there is no going back. Mostly things snowball once the genie is out of the bottle. The bar of experience moves only in one direction. We need internal self controls that are learned gradually while someone else administers external stucture.
There has always been the dyad of the one in charge (who is the rule maker, interpreter, or enforcer) and the one who would be taught, raised up, or cared for. Tech support is not available for the fork in the road. Some of us approach the task of guiding others with the simple rule of "try to turn frowns into smiles… and avoid causing frustration". While it may be popular- that rule can be unwise, unhealthy, or un-therapeutic. Repeat the following phrase when you find your self feeling guilty for denying permission, causing someone to pout, or not being a "friend" to someone in your charge....”Being a ______ is not a popularity contest”. (Fill in the blank with your role: doctor, nurse, teacher, mom, dad, etc.) --James
www.flight-of-ideas.com
True Story #2- Knoxville: "Cool parents" have keg party for high school student and his friends- with disastrous consequences. “We thought if they were going to sneak and drink they may as well do it at home where they won’t have to drink and drive.”
True Story # 3- Oak Ridge: “I was the perfect Mom. I bought him Playboys, his first bottle of wine, and I got him a dirt bike. Now he’s at Brushy Mountain Penitentiary for selling cocaine.”
The process of losing innocence is like going down hill on a one way street. You can apply the brake but there is no going back. Mostly things snowball once the genie is out of the bottle. The bar of experience moves only in one direction. We need internal self controls that are learned gradually while someone else administers external stucture.
There has always been the dyad of the one in charge (who is the rule maker, interpreter, or enforcer) and the one who would be taught, raised up, or cared for. Tech support is not available for the fork in the road. Some of us approach the task of guiding others with the simple rule of "try to turn frowns into smiles… and avoid causing frustration". While it may be popular- that rule can be unwise, unhealthy, or un-therapeutic. Repeat the following phrase when you find your self feeling guilty for denying permission, causing someone to pout, or not being a "friend" to someone in your charge....”Being a ______ is not a popularity contest”. (Fill in the blank with your role: doctor, nurse, teacher, mom, dad, etc.) --James
www.flight-of-ideas.com
posted by James at 11:26 AM
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