They Call the Wind Mariah

February 04, 2004 : 4:51 p.m.
"And the Children Shall Lead Us"

Two excerpts of articles (taken out of a book I am reading) that I didn�t write, but wish I had:

�You don�t get to resign from parenthood. You don�t get to tend to your �inner child� at the expense of your real ones. You don�t get to have the childhood you wish you had or wish you still had, while your children are having theirs.

As long as you have dependent children you are responsible for being a parent, whether you want to be responsible or not. And you don�t get to opt out of your responsibility because your lover needs a place to stay or you need the school clothes money to make the payment on your Corvette. And you don�t get to snort cocaine on your posh leather sofa or smoke crack on your tattered vinyl recliner because you�ve had a hard day. Sorry. So grow up.�

And, from the pen of a 14 year-old girl answering the question �What is wrong with kids of today?�...

�The adults of today. Parents used to help their children grow up. Now they just watch them grow up. Parents used to correct their kids. Now they just ignore them. Parents have traded their children for jobs, money and stuff -- more stuff, bigger stuff, better stuff. No one is there for the kids at home. Teens need a mom at home for them, more so than a baby does.

Our computers, TV, radios are full of trash, murder, sex, blood, gore and guts. It makes me sick. Did a child put that trash on the airways? I don�t think so. Well, who is responsible for it? Adults. If parents loved their kids they would put a stop to it.

People, wake up, take control, take your kids to church. Get out the book of instructions (the Bible) and use it. Be what you would like your kids to be -- good, honest decent people. Love them. Listen to them. Be there for them. You will have a better life with love from your kids than with money, bigger stuff, newer cars and designer clothes.

Spend more time with your kids, get to know them and about them. Use the word �no� and mean it. Moms need to be at home with a big hug ready like my mom.�