Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
I too am in the camp that children should not be spoiled. I had to work hard as a young teen, and around the house before that. I had chores. I didn't get an allowance. The three most prized possesions I ever had were the broken down snowmobile I was given to fix up. I had to buy an engine for it, strip it of paint, repaint it, repair a whole in the fiberglass hood, etc., and on my own, making a whopping buck-25 an hour. I took months to save for the engine, and a few more to get it all fixed. But I did it myself. And though it was old, and wasn't the fastest machine in town, it was one of the coolest. At least it was to me.
My other prized possesion was my bow. It cost me over $200 in 1975. I was only making about $350 a month in the Navy. I still use that bow today. It is the one thing I can hand down to my kids that represents my life an ideal. It demands attention, steadfastness, commitment, and excellence. If not given these things, the bow will warp arrows, skewer the sides of barns (I can shoot a blunt head arrow through a car door with that bow). And if you're not paying attention, that 70 lb.-pull draw weight will drag a bow-string accross your forearm with sufficient force to tear, or at least severely bruise the skin. And with only 20% let-off, the machine will tire you quickly and cause mistakes, if you're not very diligent.
Lastly, my dual-purpose 1975 Yamaha DT-250 Enduro, again purchased on a very meager salary, while I was in the Navy, gave me countless hours rip-roarin' pleasure climbing hills that just shouldn't have been climbed on an enduro. But I was light at the time, and the bike had the power, so I climbed ten foot high verticals at the end of 150 foot hills.
These things were important for me because I worked hard for them, and worked hard with them. I havfe given my children the same opportunities to have low paying jobs as teens, and work hard to purchase relatively expensive toys (one son purchased an $800 mountain bike, the pedal kind, an loved it as much as I did my Yamaha). And all of them are still working hard, either at jobs, university, or both. I am proud of each of them.
In my opinion, there are three things children, and adults need to know and understand. EDITED ACCORDING TO COMMUNITY POLICY Second, for each and every choice made, there is a consequence. Third, we must understand that we as individuals are not the most important thing in the universe. And finally, we must be personally accountable for our actions.
These four principles will build integrety, honor, and love into the lives who hold these principles dear.
Spoil your kids and you teach them that they are all important, that they don't have to follow the rules of society, and that they have to look to material things to bring themselves happiness. They lose the principle that people, especially their family and close friends are more important than are their Porches, and their boats, and any other toys that are given to them.
Yes, I gave my kids toys, things to spark their imaginations, and that would help teach them skills learned from practice and perserverance. My boys had an air-rifle/pellet gun. They never got in trouble with it and had to practice the buddy-system whenever it left the house. They also weren't allowed to use it on their own (without parental supervision, that would be me) until at least 12 years of age. Both boys, and I are expert marksman because of the practice while they were young. And they know and respect the power that is inherent to projectile weapons of any kind, be it a bow, or a bb-gun, or a high-powered rifle. They also know how to be tender and sympathetic, and to treat others with courtesy and respect.
The girls were encouraged to take the canoe out on a very large river, with freinds, and take trips down-current. And this was the St. Mary's River, that is in excess of 30 feet deep, and a mile wide at its widest point, with a 5 mph current, and 1000 foot lake freighters running up and down it. I taught them how to paddle, how to right the canoe in deep water, should it capsize, and how to get back into it, and other techniques essential to their safety. We also all went winter camping in sub-zero weather, in tents.
My kids are very independant, and as I have said so many times, make me proud. I believe that if you are going to bring kids into the world, you'd better be willing to give a majority of your life to them. If not, then you shouldn't have kids. As others have said, children are our greatest treasure. I believe that with all my heart. I believe it so much, that I feel that every child has the right to be reared by a father and mother who have comiited to each other, and their family through marriage. Anything less is cheating the children.
And yes, I'm speaking from experience. My mother and father divorced when I was 3-years of age. And though not every marriage will work, and divorce is sometimes inevitable, it happens far to frequently, and usually because one or both partners aren't willing to put selfish interests aside for the good of their partner.
And yes, I'm sounding preachy, but this is of the utmost importance to me. Family is everything. And children must be cared for properly. Just read my tag-line at the bottom of all of my posts. That says it all for me.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
My other prized possesion was my bow. It cost me over $200 in 1975. I was only making about $350 a month in the Navy. I still use that bow today. It is the one thing I can hand down to my kids that represents my life an ideal. It demands attention, steadfastness, commitment, and excellence. If not given these things, the bow will warp arrows, skewer the sides of barns (I can shoot a blunt head arrow through a car door with that bow). And if you're not paying attention, that 70 lb.-pull draw weight will drag a bow-string accross your forearm with sufficient force to tear, or at least severely bruise the skin. And with only 20% let-off, the machine will tire you quickly and cause mistakes, if you're not very diligent.
Lastly, my dual-purpose 1975 Yamaha DT-250 Enduro, again purchased on a very meager salary, while I was in the Navy, gave me countless hours rip-roarin' pleasure climbing hills that just shouldn't have been climbed on an enduro. But I was light at the time, and the bike had the power, so I climbed ten foot high verticals at the end of 150 foot hills.
These things were important for me because I worked hard for them, and worked hard with them. I havfe given my children the same opportunities to have low paying jobs as teens, and work hard to purchase relatively expensive toys (one son purchased an $800 mountain bike, the pedal kind, an loved it as much as I did my Yamaha). And all of them are still working hard, either at jobs, university, or both. I am proud of each of them.
In my opinion, there are three things children, and adults need to know and understand. EDITED ACCORDING TO COMMUNITY POLICY Second, for each and every choice made, there is a consequence. Third, we must understand that we as individuals are not the most important thing in the universe. And finally, we must be personally accountable for our actions.
These four principles will build integrety, honor, and love into the lives who hold these principles dear.
Spoil your kids and you teach them that they are all important, that they don't have to follow the rules of society, and that they have to look to material things to bring themselves happiness. They lose the principle that people, especially their family and close friends are more important than are their Porches, and their boats, and any other toys that are given to them.
Yes, I gave my kids toys, things to spark their imaginations, and that would help teach them skills learned from practice and perserverance. My boys had an air-rifle/pellet gun. They never got in trouble with it and had to practice the buddy-system whenever it left the house. They also weren't allowed to use it on their own (without parental supervision, that would be me) until at least 12 years of age. Both boys, and I are expert marksman because of the practice while they were young. And they know and respect the power that is inherent to projectile weapons of any kind, be it a bow, or a bb-gun, or a high-powered rifle. They also know how to be tender and sympathetic, and to treat others with courtesy and respect.
The girls were encouraged to take the canoe out on a very large river, with freinds, and take trips down-current. And this was the St. Mary's River, that is in excess of 30 feet deep, and a mile wide at its widest point, with a 5 mph current, and 1000 foot lake freighters running up and down it. I taught them how to paddle, how to right the canoe in deep water, should it capsize, and how to get back into it, and other techniques essential to their safety. We also all went winter camping in sub-zero weather, in tents.
My kids are very independant, and as I have said so many times, make me proud. I believe that if you are going to bring kids into the world, you'd better be willing to give a majority of your life to them. If not, then you shouldn't have kids. As others have said, children are our greatest treasure. I believe that with all my heart. I believe it so much, that I feel that every child has the right to be reared by a father and mother who have comiited to each other, and their family through marriage. Anything less is cheating the children.
And yes, I'm speaking from experience. My mother and father divorced when I was 3-years of age. And though not every marriage will work, and divorce is sometimes inevitable, it happens far to frequently, and usually because one or both partners aren't willing to put selfish interests aside for the good of their partner.
And yes, I'm sounding preachy, but this is of the utmost importance to me. Family is everything. And children must be cared for properly. Just read my tag-line at the bottom of all of my posts. That says it all for me.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
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Ok now we know where Maidrite Stands !
