Children-new thread

[Jill]

DL- I said almost the same thing this morning-although my version was much less compared to yours.  I did not stay up to see who won, but turned the t.v. on first thing.  My two 10 year old daughters who knew I was voting for McCain, said what now mommy...I said, "We are still Americans and we're still free, I voted, I wasn't the majority, and we will now support our new president until he does something that we can't support.  And we'll hope he doesn't!"  But know I am one of those surround myself with familiarity, and probably don't have enough diversity in my life but if Condeleza Rice had ran, I might have tried to vote twice!!

i remember when i was ten or so....the only things we ever remember hearing  our folks and grandfolks complain about was taxes/ not enough rock on the road and line fences....we've brought young kids into this like its there problem to be a part of solving  already....like we actually expect our kids to understand/ or have an opinion/  or give ourselves a reason to even let them here this nonsense......do we really expect them to be an active  part of this, and have them start "shaping" there political tones, like we expect them to be polite in public, and wipe there nose on a hankie insead of there sleeve.?.....seems "back in the day"....if things were as bad as we say there are now , or may actually be..... i think the last generations or two would have shielded there children from any fear driven social issues of the times, at any cost ( depression/ww1 ww2/ ).........kinda make them not feel like they dont need to  get involved and worried about it...thats the kinda stuff we'd have to stay up late and sneek out and listen to during the "adult conversations"...during a rousing late night (9:00 pm) rook rematch....jbarl

I copied this from another thread and started a new one, because I think it is interesting.  My initial reaction was to agree with jbarl that kids don't need to know this stuff, they already grow up too quickly, but the more I think about it I want to explain why we discuss it with our children.
My boys are 6,8 and 9, not old enough to vote, work for a living, go to war etc.  Unlike generations past, I talk to my boys about things that I think are important, things that can harm them, drugs, booze, sex-why should politics be any different?  I don't care if you are Dem. or Rep. both sides have spent this country into financial ruin and my boys will pay for the poor decisions our politicians have made, why shouldn't they understand the reason I vote the way I do?  If people were brought up with fiscal responsibility do you think we would need to have billions in bailouts?  I believe charity begins at home, I believe in giving to those less fortunate, I don't believe in give away programs that break the back of the next generation, you can't give away what you don't have!  The programs that have been and will be put in place determine the ability of my children to earn a living, inherit and keep our construction business, run our farm , enjoy the privileges that we now enjoy.  Not every one feels the way we do, but this is the reason we talk to our children about politics, when they are old enough they will make informed decisions for themselves.

 

[kanshow]

I think it is important to give them a sense of what is real & what is going on.    We talk about politics with the kids & they know how we feel.  Do I go into vivid detail regarding abortion - NO, but I do try to explain why we don't want our taxes raised & why we don't believe in redistribution of wealth.  Both older kids (10 & 13) are aware of possible terrorism & are concern for safety so we talk about that.  They know that we are not basing our vote on race.     

Our daughter is 13 and she was VERY upset when Obama won.  She asked me if politicians always keep all of their promises.  I told her Not hardly!  She said GOOD.   

 

[RSC]

DL- I said almost the same thing this morning-although my version was much less compared to yours.  I did not stay up to see who won, but turned the t.v. on first thing.  My two 10 year old daughters who knew I was voting for McCain, said what now mommy...I said, "We are still Americans and we're still free, I voted, I wasn't the majority, and we will now support our new president until he does something that we can't support.  And we'll hope he doesn't!"  But know I am one of those surround myself with familiarity, and probably don't have enough diversity in my life but if Condeleza Rice had ran, I might have tried to vote twice!!

i remember when i was ten or so....the only things we ever remember hearing  our folks and grandfolks complain about was taxes/ not enough rock on the road and line fences....we've brought young kids into this like its there problem to be a part of solving  already....like we actually expect our kids to understand/ or have an opinion/  or give ourselves a reason to even let them here this nonsense......do we really expect them to be an active  part of this, and have them start "shaping" there political tones, like we expect them to be polite in public, and wipe there nose on a hankie insead of there sleeve.?.....seems "back in the day"....if things were as bad as we say there are now , or may actually be..... i think the last generations or two would have shielded there children from any fear driven social issues of the times, at any cost ( depression/ww1 ww2/ ).........kinda make them not feel like they dont need to  get involved and worried about it...thats the kinda stuff we'd have to stay up late and sneek out and listen to during the "adult conversations"...during a rousing late night (9:00 pm) rook rematch....jbarl

I copied this from another thread and started a new one, because I think it is interesting.  My initial reaction was to agree with jbarl that kids don't need to know this stuff, they already grow up too quickly, but the more I think about it I want to explain why we discuss it with our children.
My boys are 6,8 and 9, not old enough to vote, work for a living, go to war etc.  Unlike generations past, I talk to my boys about things that I think are important, things that can harm them, drugs, booze, sex-why should politics be any different?  I don't care if you are Dem. or Rep. both sides have spent this country into financial ruin and my boys will pay for the poor decisions our politicians have made, why shouldn't they understand the reason I vote the way I do?  If people were brought up with fiscal responsibility do you think we would need to have billions in bailouts?  I believe charity begins at home, I believe in giving to those less fortunate, I don't believe in give away programs that break the back of the next generation, you can't give away what you don't have!  The programs that have been and will be put in place determine the ability of my children to earn a living, inherit and keep our construction business, run our farm , enjoy the privileges that we now enjoy.  Not every one feels the way we do, but this is the reason we talk to our children about politics, when they are old enough they will make informed decisions for themselves.

  I am with you Jill.  My 9 year old made a comment about wanting Obama to win.  I ddn't get into specifics on the issues but explained to him that Obama does not support the views that we feel strongly about.  He understands as our Priest has talked in General about voting for the candidate that supports your beliefs.  Sooner or later we do need to educate the youth about the beliefs of the constitution so that we don't have a bunch of uninformed voters voting because some slick willy promised them the easy way out.

RSC

 

[shortyjock89]

RSC- We already have that problem.  I have talked to a bunch of my peers (I'm 19) and an astounding number of them voted for Obama, but couldn't tell me why, other than they wanted a change.  They don't know what socialism is. They think that government provided healthcare is strictly a Liberal/Conservative issue.....and they didn't know how it would be paid for without higher taxes.  They don't understand that nothing is free. It all has to be paid for somehow. 

 

[RSC]

RSC- We already have that problem.  I have talked to a bunch of my peers (I'm 19) and an astounding number of them voted for Obama, but couldn't tell me why, other than they wanted a change.  They don't know what socialism is. They think that government provided healthcare is strictly a Liberal/Conservative issue.....and they didn't know how it would be paid for without higher taxes.  They don't understand that nothing is free. It all has to be paid for somehow. 

  I agree so we need to change and start educating ours now so that hopefully that can change.  IMO, they don't teach History or Government to the youth now like they did when I was in school.

RSC

 

[kanshow]

I think they really need to go back to teaching History, Government, & Economics.  Interesting thoughts about history is at one point they didn't even teach US History past the civil war.  C'mon!!  We need to focus on the happenings since 1900 .. not prior too....

 

[knabe]

is 230 years that much of a bother?

one should at least know the transition from 1776 to 1789 and why the first attempt didn't work.  think about it folks, two different governments in 13 years.  i dare say NO ONE today could accomplish what these relatively young men did in such a short amount of time.  oh yeah, they financed the deal and fought a couple of wars while they were at it.

 

[Show Heifer]

If you really want to see into the future, look into the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.....that says it all and in amazing clarity and a perfect mirror image of the US.  Only part of history that I really got into.

 

[Cattledog]

I'm with knabe on this.  I think the entire history of our nation should always be taught.  Heck, if we just went from 1900.....so much for the 4th of July!  

 

[Cattledog]

If you really want to see into the future, look into the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.....that says it all and in amazing clarity and a perfect mirror image of the US.  Only part of history that I really got into.

I'm not all that sure about a mirror image considering the fact that they had emperors(dictators) that weren't elected. 

 

[Show Dad]

The rise and fall of all great nations has been as a direct result of the people leaving it to the government to do the basics. Most importantly educating the next generation. I am not saying we should all home school our children but if the government fails to teach history correctly then it is up to the adults to see to it that the kids get it. Be it from them or that the government run schools do it right. For example would you leave it up to the government to teach the next generation of farmers or ranchers? If we did starvation would surely be on us all.

"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing."

 

[kanshow]

I didn't say to stop teaching the prior history, just that we do need to look at the more recent history closely. 

I was just looking at the cirriculum these kids have now..  it's all technology.  My daughter is in 8th grade & she has one hour of required technology PLUS she has to give up one day of band each week for keyboarding.

 

[CAB]

  The fall of the Roman empire was really caused by the inability to feed it's PPL. Brent

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

  The fall of the Roman empire was really caused by the inability to feed it's PPL. Brent

Which is the same with communism.  They couldn't feed its people and it collapsed.  If you want to look at history as a precursor to today look at the years leading up to WW2 and what the Iranian Prez. Amademijad is doing now.  SCARY!!!

 

[knabe]

If you really want to see into the future, look into the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.....that says it all and in amazing clarity and a perfect mirror image of the US.  Only part of history that I really got into.

I'm not all that sure about a mirror image considering the fact that they had emperors(dictators) that weren't elected. 

nobody who isn't a republican or democrat can get elected.  as far as i'm concerned, both parties are socialists, what with paulson telling banks they had to take the money and a host of other policies by bush and now the democrats.

we have a dictatorship, we are just too blind by psuedo conflict to notice.  when we have the news media (chris matthews) trying to selectively "help" a presidency, it's just worse.  i can't believe people can't see this.  if you don't think caesar wasn't elected, you are fooling yourself.  the only difference was the number of voters.  we used to have far fewer "qualified" voters in our early history.  the first big change was how senators became elected.

 

[Show Heifer]

The roman empire was created as a free society.  Each individual was free to do as they wished. Everyone loved everyone (figure of speech) and took care of each other. Then, a group decided they needed to be treated differently (dare I say "special") because of their religion, color, or job. So, others decided they needed special treatment too. Then people stopped caring for each other because that was the governemnts job. Fighting broke out within the empire against EACH OTHER and not outside enemies. The government couldn't keep tract of all the special groups and how to care for them all without sacraficing another group and therefore, more fighting. Finally the empire crumpled not due to outside influences, but because the fighting and division within.

Ok, that is a cliff note version of what I remember from history. Sound familiar?

 

[herfchic]

My best teacher is a history teacher.  He is a former Marine, and he does not believe in using a textbook.  We take notes from power points that he writes up, and we read most of the important documents in our nation's history.  When I listen to some of my peers talk (I'm seventeen) I believe that I am getting an education from my little two hundred student school that is less biased than what students are getting in supposedly better schools.