How do you 'say nothing'
This is why you have to be a parent, and not friend, first.
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Comments (4)
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IMO, you can easily be both a "parent" and a "friend" to your kids. As the saying goes, friends don't let friends drive drunk...
And in this case, it seems that the parent missed out on a lot of necessary talking before things got to this crisis situation.
I know that I talked with my son about why I never get intoxicated, along with many other "adult" issues, while he was growing up from childhood. You bloody well HAVE to do that in this day and age, when messages about all sorts of adult-level issues are pushed at kids via TV, movies and music. If you don't do such talking in a pro-active manner, you're only laying a foundation for trouble.
Posted on June 19, 2007 12:56 PM
eric,
like you i constantly spoke to my son at an early age about many issues he would face as he grew older - about how bad choices could lead to an early grave. i also believe you can be parent & friend but parenting is always first. such a sad story that could have been prevented.
Posted on June 19, 2007 1:56 PM
"i also believe you can be parent & friend but parenting is always first."
I should have added that, Buz. Thanks. Being a parent is a huge responsibility, one that I have always tried to keep in mind. It doesn't prevent me from having fun with my son, but I'm always alert for times when I need to be a Dad. To let a kid grow up with (so it seems) so little discipline is a shame. There's a fine line between being too permissive and too strict. These folks sound like they were about completely disengaged. Sad indeed...
Posted on June 19, 2007 2:20 PM
I really have a great deal of empathy for parents trying to allow their children to have fun and still provide guidance and protection. We took a very proactive role in raising our kids and are extremely pleased with the results; partly because of the strong negative influences out there, and partly because it confromed to the Biblical pattern. Deut 6, et al.
But regardless of how careful and attentive a parent is, young people have a mind of their own and make choices outside the watchful gaze of their parents. Because of this, we found prayer a vital part of our efforts to guide our children "in the way they should go."
All said and done, it simply takes a great deal of courage and love to raise kids right in today's relativistic and chaotic moral climate.
Posted on June 21, 2007 9:37 PM