Jan 27 2009
Parents Need an Education
Before I was born, women were dedicated to being just that, mothers. They weren’t perfect but they had watched their mothers, had home-ec training, and focused on the family. Today, every time I read the headlines, I want to scream. Why don’t we educate our teenagers, before they graduate, on basic child care? Here are a few reason why I see the need.
I went to a festival on Sunday. A young 20ish mother was pushing a stroller with a baby that appeared to be about six months old. It was a warm day and the baby was wearing a tee-shirt and a diaper. There was no top on the stroller. The mother walked along talking to her friend. From the burn on her chest, it was obvious they had been there for a while. The friend mentioned the baby getting to much sun and the mother responded, “Yeah, but what am I supposed to do about it?” Can you teach common sense?
Then I went onto the internet. What headline greeted me? 3 year old filmed smoking, mother arrested. The child was in front of the mother. The little boy seemed at ease with lighting and smoking the cigarette. His mother claims she is shocked. She hadn’t seen him at the time it was film or ever before. Childcare 101-pay attention to the child.
I went on to read about a mother that used plastic zip ties to make sure her daughter didn’t get up in the night and ’steal’ food. The ten year olds body may carry scars, a disfigurement, from the practice for the rest of her life.
Basic childcare isn’t complex. How to deal with problems can be learned. Upon graduation, students can identify a verb, multiply a fraction, and name largest river in the world. Unfortunately, they have little idea how to budget for a home, avoid credit card debt or take care of a child.
