How?

Watching the news tonight I heard about all of these tax breaks that Obama is planning. At first they sound really great. Who wouldn't want more money in their pocket rather than in the government's pocket? And the best part is --- you don't have to give up anything in order to get this extra money! Yep, you heard it - Obama is going to cut your taxes AND he's still going to keep the government providing all of the services they currently provide. No cuts anywhere!

I don't really understand how that is possible. Actually I do and it is very unfortunate. Obama's plan tells me that his plan is to just run up the deficit even more and leave the figuring out how to pay for all of his extravagances to our children, their children, and their children. So before these young ones even have a chance - or in many cases are even born - we are going to set them up for difficulty, failure, and hardship! Wow! Way to go! What a plan. I'm sure that they will be MORE than happy with our "gift". I can just picture their gratitude now... If we think there is a problem with adult children being able to afford moving out on their own now just wait. We'll have SEVERAL generations living together before these idiot politicians get done with screwing up the economy.

How can anyone even think that spending less and providing more will ever work? But I bet they vote themselves in a new raise! Oh wait! I forgot - they don't have to vote on it anymore. It is just automatic - they have to vote to NOT get a raise. Yeah right like that will happen!

Uncomfortable

It happened again today. T had a hockey game - the first he's had since before the holidays. Once again comments started to be said loudly in the stands amongst the two sets of parents. It only seems to happen really in that rink. Whoever chose the setup should have to sit in the middle of the bleachers during every game. Why would you choose to have both sets sit together? Yes, I know that their are the metal bleachers a little further down - but come on there is no heat there! When the rink actually ponies up to heat the stands believe me we are sitting there!

So today a dad from the other team makes a comment about one of our players. I think he called him a punk - no one was even really sure. In all honesty the kid actually wasn't be a punk today! Somedays - yes. But not today. Anyway the mom of the kid on our team gets really offended and starts saying things really loudly about talking about her son. Ok, I understand why. I wouldn't want anyone talking about T either but what good is starting a verbal allocation going to do? Then another mom gets in on it talking about how they aren't going to cut it as hockey parents if that is how they are going to act - exactly how is that any different than what they did? I don't know.

A little bit later in the game, "punk" got the puck out of our zone - really good play on his part. The coach's mother - who mind you is well into her 50s - shouts out, "Way to go Punk!" Why? What does that prove? That you are immature and don't know how to behave at a hockey game yourself?

I truly cannot understand grown adults who act like this! Especially since the boys who are playing are 8, 9, and 10 years old! What exactly are you teaching your children? I think that as the grown ups you need to show your children how to politely and respectfully get along with others in life. Sure there is the competition thing happening here but children need to be taught about friendly and respectful competition.

It isn't funny when your child slugs it out or checks people into the boards at almost every game. Yes, I know hockey is a contact sport and I'm all for that when appropriate and when necessary. However, at our stage in the game right now checking is not allowed - that means DO NOT DO IT! When you laugh about it, it tells me that you encourage your child to play dirty. It tells me that you encourage your child not to abide by the rules.

It is getting to the point where I'm not sure I want to even sit in the stands with the other parents anymore. I have to say that many times lately I'm actually embarrassed to be sitting amongst them due to things that are being said/shouted. My mom always taught me that people will see you and judge you by the people that you associate with. Her lesson was meant to teach me to make good choices when it came to choosing friends. I certainly don't want people to associate me with some of the other hockey parents. I don't want them to see that behavior and think that is me also.

Just because hockey is a contact sport doesn't mean fights need to be breaking out in the stands.

Parent vs Friend

To the people who sat behind us at the movie tonight:

I did not plunk down $25 to sit in a theatre and listen to your child loudly repeat the lines from the movie. Nor did my son appreciate continuously having his seat shook fiercely by your child. It was to the point where he actually asked to go home. This is a boy who had been dying to see Marly and Me. He had been asking since the day it came out to see it and he was so annoyed by your undisciplined child that he actually said to me, "Let's just go home!"

Why is that people feel they have the right to act however they please in public no matter what the effect is on or for other people around them? I can't tell you how many times I heard the mother say to the little boy, "That's it! I'm going to take you out of here!" and "We're leaving!" Yet not once did she actually remove the unruly child from the theatre. And as for the father - well I sure hope he enjoyed the movie! He sure was focused on it. He completely ignored the child and his inapproriate behavior, not to mention the dirty looks being shot his way! Not once did he do one thing to discipline or even attempt to stop his son's unruly behavior. Even when the boy climbed over the back of my son's chair (more than once I might add). It was to the point I was afraid he was actually going to fall on my son's head!

Here's a parenting tip for you mom and dad: if your child acts up in public you have an obligation to those around you to do something about it. That might even mean removing the child from the movie, restaurant, sporting event, etc. Yes, I know you paid good money to get into that event but so did the rest of us there. We did not pay to sit through your child's poor behavior. Sometimes part of parenting means you don't get to do what you want to do. Sometimes it means you miss out on things. And sometimes it even means you lose money on things. Sorry that's the breaks. If you don't like it then maybe you should not have had kids.

Sometimes following through on what you say you are going to do will make you unpopular with your child. It might even make them unhappy. However, following through on things will show and teach your child that you mean what you say and that poor behavior has consequences. You are the parent not a friend. It isn't your job to make sure that your child is happy at all times. In fact if that is what you are trying to do then you aren't doing a good job of parenting - you would actually be doing a crappy job of it. As a parent, it is your job to make sure that your child grows up knowing how to act appropriately in different situations and how to make good choices. If you just let them do whatever makes them happy you are truly doing your child a disservice and setting them up for failures and hardships later on in their lives.