It Takes A Village--BS!!

Before I had children I had several perfect theories on how other people should raise them. Once I had my own, it suddenly became a day to day, kid to kid, adventure in humility. I did learn a few things over the last 30 years, though...

First and foremost, it does NOT take a village to raise a child. It takes decent parents (adults), preferably two--but, it can be done by one. If you dump the job on somebody else, you won't like the results. You will, however, still get the blame--and the bill.

Women, you can't sit in a bar after work every day, expecting kids them to raise themselves, while you look for "Daddy" # 1, 2 or 3.

Men, you can't marry the first housekeeper/babysitter that will say "yes" and expect them to raise your kids for you.

YOU have to be the adult and start children before they get in trouble. If they are never left with any doubt about who is responsible for their actions, they stand a much better chance of growing up to be productive adults. If they come home with a strange bike, skateboard, clothing, or anything else that you know does not belong to them, nor could they have purchased, YOU need to step in and resolve the situation. YOU march them back to the store, or neighbor's house, and make them face the music. People will respect you for it and will go a lot easier on the kid if you do. Yes, your little darling will be humiliated (maybe even crying) but they will not want to repeat the experience. They will also know that YOU won't let them get away with it! If they do accidental damage to somebody else's property stand beside them while they explain and apologize. YOU may have to make reparations but your child will learn that they can come to you with any problem.

"I'm sorry" and "Excuse me" should be the first words they learn after Mommy, Daddy, please and thank you. Teaching the manners and common decency is one of the best investments you can make in your children. Their future as successful adults depends on social skills.

The teen years are the hardest and you have to be extra vigilant. Check on them. Know where they are and who they are hanging around with. It's better than having the police show up at the door with them--or worse, without them. Rules are rules--stick to them. If they know YOU will be checking on them they will be less likely to be hanging out with losers or in places they don't belong. Teenagers will always try to get something past you, regardless, but you will still have the upper hand--they aren't nearly as smart as they think at that age.

Every time I hear a parent say, "I'm honest with my kids. I tell them everything", I could gag. If you feel the need to emote on your misspent youth, for crying out loud get a diary! Don't tell your kids every last thing you did wrong in your life. They don't need to know that you got pregnant before you were married or arrested for joy-riding or shoplifting as a teen. You can't tell them not to smoke pot and regale them with stories of your own--nor can you smoke pot and tell them not to. Hopefully, you are a different person than you were as a teenager (I know I am) and all you owe them is the current version--or how we wished we had been . Your mistakes and regrets don't belong to them. To admit to the unnecessary is to remove a taboo. You will only hear, "Well, YOU did it", someday--guaranteed! When they become wonderful healthy adults you can choose what to share (but why bother?).

I don't know how many times I've heard somebody say, "Well, if my kid is going to smoke or drink I don't want them sneaking behind my back so I let them don it in the house!". I call bullshit on that one! They shouldn't be doing it at all and making it comfortable and convenient certainly isn't going to dissuade them. Even if you aren't a great example, yourself, you are not obliged to support their bad habits. You provide shelter, food, education, and love. If you have too much extra money spend it on tutors or dancing lessons for them--not cigarettes and beer.

Planned, or unplanned, they are your children. No excuses--it's your job to raise them. Don't expect the school, the ex, or "the village" to do it for you. If you love them and provide them with reasonable rules and guidelines it's hard to go wrong. Nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes but we recover and try harder.

I Wish I'd Wrote This...

This was written by an American woman, but oh how it also applies to Canada , U.K. and Australia

Written by a housewife in New York , to her local newspaper. This is one ticked off lady..

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we?

Was it or was it not started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since?

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day, in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from the nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible, burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting against in a brutal insurgency.

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan ...

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Afghanistan come out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by hiding in mosques and behind women and children.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blows themselves up in search of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the American media stops pretending that their freedom of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when something happens.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about an AMERICAN soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this: I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank: I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and 'fed special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts: I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran' and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it, I don't care!!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail friends Sooner or later, it'll get to the people responsible for this ridiculous behavior! If you don't agree, then by all means hit the delete button.. Should you choose the latter, then please don't complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country!

And may I add: 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Soldiers don't have that problem.' I have another quote that I would like to add, AND.......I hope you forward all this.

One last thought for the day: Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you: 1. Jesus Christ 2. The British Soldier. 3. The Canadian Soldier.. 4. The US Soldier, and 5. The Australian Soldier One died for your soul, the other 4 for your freedom. YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET ALL OF THEM. AMEN!

The Party of Moral Convenience

Does nothing embarrass the left? I've been listening to our MSM, and certain leftist loudmouths of government, calling the conservative protesters names and it's just making me angrier. They belittle church goers, home schoolers, those who choose life over abortion, or anyone who celebrates American culture. By making fun of people, or whipping out the race card, they hope to shame them into lowering their standards and towing the liberal line.

If there is anything to respect in the likes of Keith Olberman or Barney Frank I'm not seeing it. Call me crazy.

My morals and standards have not changed for 40 years and the Nancy Pelosi's arch-braying is not going to move me to take low road. The left has changed. Over and over they have lowered the bar and have become a party of extreme and bizarre behavioral groups. They have no shame. The vote of Mother Theresa and a NAMBLA member are equally welcome. The way they are complaining about how this president is being disrespected makes me laugh--what a bunch of hypocrites.

I won't even begin to describe the lack of respect that President Bush endured but I tell you about my son and I watching the Alito hearings. I was trying to explain why Judge Alito was being questioned; that senators were elected and asked questions on behalf of "the people" in order to clarify a nominee's fitness to represent them on the Supreme court. I was trying hard to be fair in the way I presented it. My son, without guile, said "I get that--but when is the hearing where we get to hear his answers"?

Now that he is in college, he recently confided in me that the teachers and students, who made political statements of any kind in class, seemed always to be blaming President Bush for something and acting like nobody else in the room could possibly disagree or have a different opinion--that they don't seem to consider that what they say might offend somebody else. Since conservative opinion is not exactly encouraged, my son remains relatively mute in class . I told him that he should speak up and he said, "Mom, you could show up to class with your kiddy-porn collection and get a more respect".

Islam--Just Say NO!

If you didn't start wondering about the "religion of peace" during the summer of 1972 (Munich), maybe it's time. America did not start Jihad. There are no less than 14 major areas of conflict on our planet today--all involve islam. Remember Lockerby, London, and the Russian grade school massacre? Look what's happening in Darfur--it isn't Mormons committing the genocide there.

Everywhere islam goes, violence follows. Islam was not hijacked by terrorists, it is an ideology of terror and oppression. If you think the Europeans, Africans, Malaysians, are West Asians are enjoying the diversity, think again. Muslims have killed hundreds of thousands of people, in just the last 40 years, all over the world--and they are breaking ground for mosques in our country at an alarming rate. They are demanding foot-washing facilities and prayer rooms in public institutions, universities, airports, and businesses, right here, right now--and your tax dollars are paying for it. What happened to the separation of church and state?

When was the last time a Methodist or a Catholic demanded anything of you? Baptists don't sit in church and wonder if their neighbor might behead them. Lutherans don't tend to shoot their daughters or run over their wives for religious, or political honor.

This is not a joke. I sometimes use humor (or sarcasm) to make a point but islam is not funny. It is a violent oppressive ideology that is spreading around the world. Islam has no respect for any non-muslim. They are performing ritual butchering on African Christians. If you have the guts to watch, YouTube has plenty of videos to prove it.

If you can't bring your sensitive eyes to watch brutal torture and horrific murder, check out this video of the results of how women are treated in muslim countries. This is not a pro-American site so please don't accuse me of cherry picking my examples.

http://www.rawa.org/self_immolation/violence2.htm

I have friends who will fight to the death over domestic violence in America but won't say a thing in defense of women like this. They are spineless liberals who only pretend to have great courage but, in any 3rd world country, without the protection of American freedom, they would be the meekest, and most silent, of all. Liberals will site Christian transgressions from ancient history but not the current human rights violations of islam. If they refuse to see evil it doesn't exist--and the portable gallows of Iran are not really used to publicly hang gays. What they fail to realize is that their liberal ideology will make them the first targets of shariah law should they allow islam to infiltrate our government and culture.

John McCain (D) Arizona

Dick Cheney has the right to defend himself and the Bush administration. He also has a right to voice his opinion in behalf of the support and safety of our troops–and our country. Obama is stalling his decision, until after key elections, to the detriment of our military and mission. Ask just anybody in the military–Obama gets a big NO CONFIDENCE.

I have the utmost respect for his service, and POW ordeal, but if Obama policies were in place, back then, John McCain would still be sitting in Hanoi. Since the beginning of his political career he has done little to admire, IMO. He is a broken man. His passive-aggressive behavior lost us the election and has lost him the respect of his party and those who voted for him. He just doesn’t get it and he refuses to listen to his constituency. Just shut up, Mr McCain.