Good Samaritan

It can be hard to remain positive about the prospects for humanity when I am surrounded by such stupidity and greed. While stories such as this Multi-Donor Kidney Swap are rare, they still provide the much needed reassurance that the human race may not be doomed to self-extermination afterall.

It reminded me of the movie 7 Pounds. Why can't people in general realize that this is the holy grail. This is the meaning of life. People search endlessly trying to find validation in religion, their career, or their various activism activities, and what does it result in? One side of an debate works tirelessly to undermine the other side. Labels applied, names called, where does it stop? When do any of us actually stop and think about the other side. When do we take the time to reverse the situation and attempt to see things from their perspective?

People in general are never happy with what they have. They want more, they want things changed to suit them. Me me me, that is all I ever hear about now. Everyone complains that kids today are so selfish; that they don't understand what it means to sacrifice for something. They point to the luxuries today's youth enjoy and they say they are worried about the future because of that prevailing attitude among youth.

Well truth be told, the real problem is the youth of yesterday. Today's parents raised those children. Today's parents are the ones that are gorging themselves on the gluttony of luxury and convenience. Our kids have no choice in the matter. They are just living the only life they have been shown. WE are the ones with the choice. WE are the ones who lived through hard times. WE are the ones that knew life before the Internet. WE are the ones who should know better, and don't. We delude ourselves into thinking it is OK because we suffered as children. We don't realize that past suffering does not justify selfishness.

I am by no means perfect, although I do recognize that I stick out like a sore thumb. My children are in the extreme minority that I not only require them to be inside before 10pm, I expect them to go to bed at 9pm. I make my children do chores. *gasp* My children make dinner, do laundry, wash dishes (by hand), do bathrooms etc etc, and they keep their rooms generally clean. There are no free rides. I do not subscribe to the belief that my children need to be involved in a bunch of extra curricular activities. I do not subscribe to the belief that my children need hours upon hours every day to play with friends. I do not hesitate to discipline my children in front of guests or in public.

What do I hope my children gain from this parenting technique that would likely receive massive criticism from the likes of Dr. Phil and Oprah? My children know that NOTHING is to be taken for granted. They know that every freedom they enjoy comes with a responsibility. They know that in order to live a life that involves exercising those freedoms, they must first, work HARD to gain the right to that freedom, and second they must respect that freedom in others, regardless of differing opinions or beliefs. My children also rarely hesitate to help someone in need, it is instinctual for them. It is not because they have been guilted into helping because of fear of eternal punishment; not because I have told them they need to be Good Samaritans or any sense of obligation on their part. They act in that manner because they personally know how much hard work goes into the freedoms they enjoy, and as such they can't bear to stand by and watch anyone shoulder that burden alone.

I fully recognize that my parenting techniques are unorthodox. I have family members who are mortified that I have children clean up after dinner. I have had to endure having a child protection worker force their way into my home and challenge my parental actions due to misconceptions of abuse. I have had to spend time measured in days giving testimony during custody battles. These things don't happen to people who "go with the flow." One side benefit is that none of my family members want me to babysit their children, but at the same time, none of them have much of a problem babysitting mine. Hey sometimes it pays to be different.

I also had my 13 year old daughter tell me yesterday that she was so lucky to have two mom's who are both her best friend :) :) That is actually quite funny because the last thing I want to do is to try and be my children's friend. It is interesting though, that in teaching them how to live life, they have learned to respect that discipline and consider me their best friend because of it.