1. Austin Powers Scandal: Toys NOT for Tots!
2. Violence at School
3. Parent to Parent Help Desk
4. Religion and Public Schools
5. Controlling Temper/Anger
6. Gay Teletubbies?
7. Ca$h if You Pass
8. Will the shooting ever stop?
9. Religion and Public Schools
10. Do Working Mothers Make Better Moms?

1. Austin Powers Scandal: Toys NOT for Tots!
m. - Jun 24, 1999 2:42pm EST

Putting out "adult" toys in toy stores for children is right up there with broadcasting "adult" cartoons during time slots that young viewers will be watching. The morality of both the manufacturers and the advertisers stinks. I guess anything goes these days---if it makes money.
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2. Violence at School
IllIllIlIllIllIlI - Nov 9, 1999 1:59am EST

I agree... somewhat...

I'm not going to go very in depth with this response.

"It's not that hard to take a note book and book from your locker, and go to class." I agree somewhat. For most people, it isn't very hard, but remember, for most of the harder classes you need to bring not only the notebook and the textbook(s), but writing utensils (I'm including items such as a compass, protracter, etc.), various other books (required reading material... remember your English classes?), whatever. I believe if you change something, you should make it work for everyone.

I admit this might just sound like a teenager complaining... and the writing utensil problem can be solved by a simple pouch that clips into your binder, but I'm just too lazy to remove that from my argument...

My point being? Why should we sacrifice the many (students) for the convenience of the few (teachers)? Remember, they get paid for this... it's part of the job...

OK, I know I've offended some teachers with that last comment, but I say we get more out of what offends us than what pleases us...
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3. Parent to Parent Help Desk
jerzey - Nov 15, 1999 6:16am EST

THE SANTA CLAUS THING....

Should a child discover on their own that santa is what he is, or should a parent tell them what he is?--and at what age is appropriate? I found out on my own, and fine with that, but was wondering what other parents think about it.. or what you have done with your own children.. Any feedback is appreciated...
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4. Religion and Public Schools
Bill Jager - Nov 16, 1999 11:37am EST

What do I think?

"I agree with you Laci"

"for 1 am a christian and this country waz built on a christian basis or start but as we the people have been sinning and learning more about different religons they sound more reasonable or belivable.And public schools did use to teach the Bible,back then they used ma'ams and sirs and see they had no police men,because they didn't need 1!With well taught disapline and the ten commandments we once had ordelly students and now that has been slaughtered,what do you think? Laci Parker (11)"

Religion in general and "Christianity" has a very long bloody and violent history.

I come from a remote, small village in Alaska that did not have any type of organized religion to teach on how to be good moral people. The people in the village cared for each other and helped each other to survive. When I say remote, I mean remote -- with no roads, no TV's, no telephones, no violence, no police, you get that picture?

A few years before I left that village, Christian missionaries moved in. Today in that village of about 140 people, there is violence, drug and alcohol problem and need a police in the village to keep these people from harming each other. What is wrong with this picture?
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5. Controlling Temper/Anger
Mazzie 71 - Nov 15, 1999 8:36am EST

4yr. old angrey at the world all the time

I take care of a four year old girl that is always mad at everyone all the time. It's like she doesn't know how to laugh or have fun. The parents are always quick to blame the other two children I take care of. The other day the mother came and asked if everything was ok here at my home, her daughter went home and said that the other two children were mean to her when in fact she is always mean to them. She is an only child and just isn't happy. She doesn't ever want to do fun things with the other children, games ,coloring, plying with toys etc....I am really trying to help her but nothing seems to be working it's like she is mad at the world. Please give me some advice?
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6. Gay Teletubbies?
Tubbuggy - Nov 15, 1999 7:38am EST

My answer is that a child will learn whatever it is that the parents want to teach them. What does my 21 month old know about the gay lifestyle? Why can't purple just be a color? What is the color for the "straight" lifestyle? I thought the symbol on Tinky Winky's head was a triangle and that's what my daughter will think, too. Girls play with cars and boys play with dolls, are all these children gay too? What my daughter has learned since she starting watching Telletubbies is dancing, singing, counting, and words, imitation, colors, and just acting silly. Is there something wrong with this?
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7. Ca$h if You Pass
Leroy Valley II - Nov 15, 1999 9:58am EST

Reward with cash, only if you explain to their level of understanding that it is not just for doing, but doing above and beyond.Try to get them to understand it in this way, and then help them help themselves to attain their goal. Not only will this promote a sense of achievement, but hopefully along the way, it will instill in them a guideline to focus in on personal accomplishment, diluting peer pressure, and developing a more questioning mind to give them personal power over day to day situations, we as parent's are not privy to. As we all know and remember,our "rents" still don't know everything we did. And above all else, LISTEN when they talk. They say a lot about thing's " we wish we had have known about" Through the coming year's all the thing's they "feel" are important to them, are. As a parent it would be terrible to lose a child, because we did'nt listen. Starting now, will make the bond that much harder to break later on.
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8. Will the shooting ever stop?
hensrb - Nov 16, 1999 12:52pm EST

I believe that if you are going to blame a television show or a movie for all the violence, then parents of small children or teenagers need to turn off the TV or stop them from going to the movies. That is the only way that we will ever know if we were right about the violence in the media. I do believe in the First Amendment of The Bill Of Rights which says that we have freedom of press, I belive that includes media and no one can take that away from us, espcially the government. Gun control will not stop or slow down the problem, but merely make it harder for kids to get the guns to kill there classmates.

Robert J Henson father of a 19 mo. old
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9. Religion and Public Schools
cdog - Nov 16, 1999 11:43am EST

Religion's Place

School is for learning about the world, about discovering new facts about the world. To allow religion in schools is to undermine the creativity of the student. If religion provides all the answers, then don't attend public schools--leave it to those who care about seeking knowledge. Religion = limitation.
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10. Do Working Mothers Make Better Moms?
kath - Nov 12, 1999 11:17am EST

Not the total solution

I too am in education, but i have to disagree with you. Having a parent at home will not solve many of the problems that children experence. i have students who have moms at home, but the are the biggest pains in the classroom. The believe that they are far superior than those who have moms who work. They constantly need to be assisted (I teach 5th grade) and very little independent working skills. Also, when the go home they don't go home to "Mrs. Cleaver". No, it's soccer practice and hockey games, cheerleading practice and CCD. Ask any child what is it like at dinner time? Many have rarely experienced a sit-down family dinner of my generation. Mom, Dad and children gathered around the table sharing their day with each other. Last year, I told my students about a discussion I had at the dinner table with my 4 year old. They were AMAZED!!!! Many of them don't spend QUALITY time with their parents and many times the parents are TOO busy to listen, really listen to what the children have to say.

I have to work, unless I want to live in a beat-up car in a dark alley somewhere. My daughter has been in day-care since she was 9 months old. She is well adjusted, independent child. I don't shower her with gifts to ease my guilt of working outside the home. I don't have the money. We live paycheck to paycheck. Many family members don't understand how difficult it is to work and be a mother.

However, my mother is extremely proud of my accomplishments and how well I am raising my daughter. i am one of seven children and my mother worked at home raising us. Day care was unheard of at the time. It was great coming home to her, having her home when I was sick and be able to assist in our classrooms. But, she longed to work outside the home. Now at 63 years old, she does. She re-entered the work force when I was 19 years old and for the last 15 years has enjoyed earning the "extra" money she longed for to buy those items she couldn't when we were little. My father was a truck drive and earned a modest salary. We went without a great many things, but LOVE was always abundant.

That is what children today need.
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