I think it is worthwhile to remember that there are a great many other influences on a child and young person "out there" in society, and a parent cannot keep a child from being exposed to them forever. They often do what they can to alleviate the worse and ameliorate the best, but no parent is perfect anyway. Add to that the natural development of a young person where normal boundary testing and exploration will have them choosing to follow a peer group subculture, immersing themselves in influences beyond immediate parental control. Parents often find their youngsters going down paths they would not choose for them, and those parents can suffer considerable heartbreak when older children - young adults in their own right - make choices far from wise. Sometimes the results have nothing to do with the amount or quality of the love that parents have shown their children. I think that this should not be forgotten since not all children who go astray come from uncaring backgrounds.
I believe that most fathers share the same concerns as mothers regarding the health of their newborn infants, counting fingers and toes, etc. I remember being more concerned about the results of the heel prick test, having a false positive returned on one score. My concern was for my little one and how his life (should a second test confirm the first) would be seriously impaired and shortened - concern rightly placed for him, far less than for myself. I see nothing wrong in wanting the best for one's child, including a strong healthy body in every respect. How do you mean you were ostracized, Michelle? I do not understand that. What were you doing or saying for that to happen?
I know of a children's clothing firm that was started by a couple of mothers who wanted to produce a label of their own, designing clothes that better suited their own values. There are people who find themselves able to do such things, but not all of us are called to do so.
Presently in our news is a protest over TV advertising that exploits toddlers, having them climbing out of their cots, finding the car keys, driving off in a parent's car, picking up a hitch-hiking toddler, etc, etc - all assuming that this gives a bad example to toddlers who may try to follow suit. Oh my goodness! Whatever is a toddler doing watching these ads in the first place - or rather, what are the parents doing having the baby watching these ads on TV? There are far better things for parents and babies to be doing together. Since when did the TV become a human need? Yes, there are things we can do ourselves to be responsible parents, but when dealing with older teens we have to rely on the work we put in well before then and hope and pray our kids will eventually "find their brains" after that period of absence from them that many will go through.
Hmm, those are just some of my thoughts sparked off by your post, Michelle - for what they are worth.
