Monday, April 28, 2008

MOMMY (or Mentor/Caregiver) MONDAYS (#12)

A FEW QUESTIONS ON HOW WE THINK
OR WHAT WE THINK
1. Do you assume that if a kid goes "astray" that it's the parents' fault?
2. Do you assume that if a kid steals, either his parents taught him how or allowed it, or thought that stealing was no big deal? Is it a reflection of poor parenting?
3. Do you assume that bad things only happen to other people's children? "There is no way that would be my kid!" or "That wouldn't happen to us."
4. Do you think that there is hope for a kid whose only example while growing up has been a rough or extremely violent or dysfunctional life or lifestyle?
5. Is the outcome of a dysfunctional adult because of the home environment he/she was raised in as a child or their own personal mental state, or society around them? Could it be all three or something totally different?
6. If you raise a child in a Christian home, should they be guaranteed to come out "right," and if not, were the parents lacking in their own Christianity?
7. Is it wise to let a child choose their own belief system, God, and way of worship?
8. Should you ever make your kids go to church?
9. Should you give a child who is "academically lazy" the choice as to whether they want to be educated or not? Should you let them do what they want to do? Can you make them do what you want them to do if they just shut down and decide against?
10.Should you treat an 18 year old like an adult? (Remember, you were 18 once:))
Let's ponder these questions. Let me know how you think and why you think the way you do. You guys know I like to ask the "thinking questions," the ones that we encounter in life everyday, the ones that sometimes people will ask, but mostly, people won't.
Love on your babies today, and pray for them in season and out. Lord knows, they need it, and we need the prayer practice and time with God:)

2 comments:

I am Arizona; a person, not a place. said...

Great questions to think about. I know for sure there is hope for kids who are raised in a violent environment. My mom was raised in one and yet she did not treat us violently. My brother was caught stealing once (as a kid), but stealing was never once allowed or condoned in our house. Now that I have kids I hesitate to ever blame parents for a child's actions. Kids have minds of their own and are influenced by so many things. What I do believe is that it is so important for parents to be the biggest influence in their children's lives and to always be there for their kids...both when they make the right decisions and the wrong ones.

Great blog and great thought provoking post!

Peculiar said...

Thank you for answering. I like to ask those thought-provoking questions, ones that expose who we really are, whether that's good or bad. If we have searched our hearts, we would thank God for the things there that were good, but we could come face to face with those things that aren't and do something about them. If we don't ask ourselves the tough questions, we can't change or grow. We make a lot of assumptions on people, consciously and unconsciously, we hold a lot of prejudices, and the list goes on. We need to ponder over real-life questions and see where our hearts and thoughts lie in that moment and understand why we think the way we do. Who doesn't need a heart and thought check? Thank you for stopping by.