Frogster
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2004
- Messages
- 1,535
- Reaction score
- 87
For those of you who don't know, I'm a very proud uncle, and that I'm even more excited to know that my brother and his wife are due to have another next March. I had a nice time hanging out with my little nephew this evening, and it prompted me to talk about something.
Granted, I may not ever be a father in this lifetime. I completely understand that, which is why I'm gonna love whomever my siblings bring into this world. So, given that, I'm certainly not going to be somebody that they're going to come to for parenting advice. Also, I believe that, on the whole, they'll do what's right for their kids. I hope they do, anyways. There's some things, though, that I know I'd do for certain if I did have my own kid at some point.
One thing I can really think of (and this is pretty general) I would want my kid to have an open mind and embrace the different cultures round him or her. I'd want my kid growing up and becoming someone that people of all sizes and shapes would want to be around. I wouldn't want him or her to have the mindset that he's/she's 'above' people in life. I've realized that, the second you think you're better than someone or something else in society, you become exactly that. This is normally construed as a bad thing, but it can be a good thing if you learn from it, and you can also look back, knowing that you're a better person for seeing life with a different pair of eyes.
Another thing; sports are a great way for kids to become active, use their growth/motor skills, and learn valueable skills like leadership and following instructions. However, society places too much emphasis on sports and there seems to be very little room for people to use their imaginations. I know it's odd for a 23-year-old to say this, but when you're a kid, your imagination's the absolute coolest thing you have. And way too many parents say, right out of the gate, "He's gonna do this when he's older, she's gonna play that when she's older." Granted, not too many people make sure this happens; kids usually get into playing and enjoying sports on their own. But when you drive them towards sports and sports alone, then what happens? If they're good, they'll become that kid who everybody in town celebrates when in high school; he'll have the cool friends who are all really good at playing, too. He may even date the hottest girl in school for a while. And yeah, he plays for a good four years, then it's off to college, where -unless he's REALLY good- he'll most likely major in business like most of the people I've seen do and work in a cubicle. And there's nothing wrong with that, if it's what you want to do.
But people are forgetting more and more these days that you really can do what you wanna do in life if you keep at it. ****, I am so proud to say that I actually auditioned for Henson as a puppeteer a few years ago. I'm WAY off the friggin grid! But seriously, though.... People lose sight of their imagination when they just follow the flock and don't concentrate at an early age on what they're good at, and don't try to recognize their full potential. Each one of us has a chance on this earth to do whatever we really want to do, and hopefully, whatever that is, is to help other people out as well. Don't limit your kids. The sooner you set up barriers for your kids, the sooner the barriers turn into the short, cramped walls of their cubicle. Let them find out who they really are; you just might be incredibly surprised... and proud.
Granted, I may not ever be a father in this lifetime. I completely understand that, which is why I'm gonna love whomever my siblings bring into this world. So, given that, I'm certainly not going to be somebody that they're going to come to for parenting advice. Also, I believe that, on the whole, they'll do what's right for their kids. I hope they do, anyways. There's some things, though, that I know I'd do for certain if I did have my own kid at some point.
One thing I can really think of (and this is pretty general) I would want my kid to have an open mind and embrace the different cultures round him or her. I'd want my kid growing up and becoming someone that people of all sizes and shapes would want to be around. I wouldn't want him or her to have the mindset that he's/she's 'above' people in life. I've realized that, the second you think you're better than someone or something else in society, you become exactly that. This is normally construed as a bad thing, but it can be a good thing if you learn from it, and you can also look back, knowing that you're a better person for seeing life with a different pair of eyes.
Another thing; sports are a great way for kids to become active, use their growth/motor skills, and learn valueable skills like leadership and following instructions. However, society places too much emphasis on sports and there seems to be very little room for people to use their imaginations. I know it's odd for a 23-year-old to say this, but when you're a kid, your imagination's the absolute coolest thing you have. And way too many parents say, right out of the gate, "He's gonna do this when he's older, she's gonna play that when she's older." Granted, not too many people make sure this happens; kids usually get into playing and enjoying sports on their own. But when you drive them towards sports and sports alone, then what happens? If they're good, they'll become that kid who everybody in town celebrates when in high school; he'll have the cool friends who are all really good at playing, too. He may even date the hottest girl in school for a while. And yeah, he plays for a good four years, then it's off to college, where -unless he's REALLY good- he'll most likely major in business like most of the people I've seen do and work in a cubicle. And there's nothing wrong with that, if it's what you want to do.
But people are forgetting more and more these days that you really can do what you wanna do in life if you keep at it. ****, I am so proud to say that I actually auditioned for Henson as a puppeteer a few years ago. I'm WAY off the friggin grid! But seriously, though.... People lose sight of their imagination when they just follow the flock and don't concentrate at an early age on what they're good at, and don't try to recognize their full potential. Each one of us has a chance on this earth to do whatever we really want to do, and hopefully, whatever that is, is to help other people out as well. Don't limit your kids. The sooner you set up barriers for your kids, the sooner the barriers turn into the short, cramped walls of their cubicle. Let them find out who they really are; you just might be incredibly surprised... and proud.