We've Got to Save the Children...

This random not so random thought is brought to you by a conversation i had with my mom (as a lot of my random thoughts come that way).

My mom was telling me about a conversation she was having with a pregnant coworker about having a child. Mom told the coworker that having a child will change your life. When she said this, other coworkers within ear shot started moaning and growning about sleepless nights and never being able to go out anymore, etc.. But my mom said, no, you don't know what it's like to really experience the love that you will feel towards a child and how that will fill your heart. At this one of her coworkers chimed in "yeah, she always calls her daughter beautiful when they're on the phone and tells her she's wonderful" (blushing). But following this, the coworker said that she was going to start calling her own daughter beautiful, the same way she calls her son handsome (this is not the post where i talk about the devaluation of girl children - that'll come later). So as i thought about this change in her coworker's actions from my mom's example. (my mom is the best) i realized that the problems we see in our children's behavior, starts with the love they are or aren't shown throughout their development. Something as simple as telling your daughter she's beautiful and loved on a regular basis, can make all the difference in how she sees herself, and some of the situations she will allow herself to get into. Telling your son he's brilliant and has a voice, could be the factor in him being a productive citizen or following some scumbag into a life of crime. it's something to think about. if you do these things great, if you don't, why not start, and encourage other parents to do the same. love is stronger than lies.