Whatever happened to Aesop's fables?

Whatever happened to Aesop's fables? You remember the Ant and the Grasshopper, The fox and the grapes, The boy who cried wolf, The tortoise and the hare?  Why don't we tell our kids these any more? And why aren't they taught in school?  Why don't we see more cartoons that follow along the lines of the original vice what is socially convenient?  I can not find a copy of Aesop's fables in print at a public library, or on film, that matches what the original source says.

Have stories told to children today become social engineering that make children more dependent on others and less resilient?  Fables and stories such as these been used as tools for millennia to impart important lessons about morals and social interactions.  In fact, children used to be inoculated to the occurrence of death from a young age, because death was a daily occurrence.  Why aren't children allowed to read those stories anymore?  Changes in medical science should not be cause to change this.  If you ask a child to look up from their electronic distraction, would they be able to tell you the name of a fable or moral story?  Do any of them know the origin of 'Ring around the rosie'?  Do they even play it in the school yard or even backyards and parks any more?  I think it is highly unlikely.

I think parents are afraid to let their children grow up these days.  Too often, we depend on others to teach our children how to conduct themselves; how to think about certain topics; what to read.  It's time we, as parents, stop using the excuse of too tired, too busy, too late to direct the development of our children.  It used to be that children prior to the Information Age learned their skill and trade from their parents or entered into apprenticeships.

Although if that were the case, that would mean my oldest daughter should be married off already.

I, for one, do not have time to teach my children all the skills (like mathematics and science, reading and writing, logic and rhetoric) they need day to day; but I know I must make time to mold their character, by engaging them in moral debate, having them study stories in moral and stoic thought.  That is my responsibility as a parent and steward of good citizenship. It's time we help our children develop the character to grow up unafraid; be willing to challenge the status quo, and risk all for what they truly believe. 

How will you help your children grow up today?

Vaccinating your kids against Affluenza

Recently, my two children had the chance to take the ice on an NHL rink, as part of a learn-to-skate program through the local community centre.  It wasn't as big a do as it was built up to be but still pretty cool.  But in the excitement, my oldest had asked if she could go, too. The problem was my wife didn't think to investigate whether it was possible; she had her mind on other things, like a girls weekend away with one of her oldest friends.  she assumed the information  provided, from a consistently unreliable source, was accurate.

So, I was left trying to keep my teenager from losing her mind, this was all she had been talking about for weeks. I told her I would see if it was possible, but not to get her hopes up.  When we arrived, it was just program participants and coaches.  The "and family" portion of the invitation was to sit in the stands.  Into the stands we went, and to my surprise my teenager didn't say a thing; not one word.  If any of you have a teenager, you will appreciate the significance.  How do you reward and reinforce that attitude - the dealing with expectation, anticipating the opportunity to lace up, only to be disappointed?  Should I take her out for a Daddy-Daughter date?  Send her to the movies for a day by herself because she demonstrated a level of maturity I hadn't expected?

Simply - you don't.

Far too many parents, in my opinion, insist on giving their kids "more than we had".  That's a bullshit attitude and the source of the sense of entitlement so many youth have today.  Here's a cookie for  eating your supper; don't throw a tantrum in the store while Mommy is shopping and you get a toy.  Working behind the counter at McDonald's, delivering papers, or pump gas for the summer is beneath them, but want the "Jersey Shore" lifestyle.  Kids living in mom and dad's basement into their late 20's not knowing what they want to do with their lives because they haven't found themselves.  Here's an idea get a job, any job, you'll find out what you don't want to do for the rest of your life REAL QUICK.  "We" had plenty growing up and our parents tried to do the same for us.  Don't get me wrong, my parents helped me if they could, but for the most part I had to figure things out for myself.

My teenager gets paid to babysit (and she's in demand around the neighbourhood) and all my kids get an allowance, based on their age, are expected to do chores around the house because they contribute to the mess, and a "performance bonus" for getting A's on their report card.  Why?  To teach them to be responsible for earning their money, how to save for what they want, and to teach them that rewards and success come to those who work for it.

It's time we stop treating our kids like delicate china dolls, and start treating them like they're people.  Learning to deal with disappointment is part of growing up, handing them responsibility at a young age not only teaches them a work ethic, but also allows them to take pride on the work they do.  If you want your children to develop into strong, independent-thinking citizens, be a parent and start teaching them to be so.