Bubbles

It seems like there is always something that gets under mmy skin and irritates me for a week or two. This week the thing that torkes me off a little are those that keep their children in a bubble and shelter them from all harm or experience. I am not sure where the line should stop and start when it comes to keeping your children sheltered. There is no doubt that you shouldnt let your kids watch "R" movies or drink a six pack of Mt. Dew in an hour. But come on (some family members and friends) let your children grow some wings and fly. One day wether you like it or not you will have to remove that bubble that you have placed around your child. If you wait to long you will have damaged them from social competency forever!!! I see it all the time with my "homeschool" kids. Home school, a topic for another day is not necessarily the de facto problem. Its that most people who home school do so to keep their kids in a bubble. Some do so without thinking of this fact and others do so with full intent. I have other kids (kids=my incoming freshman) who went to a regular school but for one reason or another basically lived under a rock their whole lives. Life is hard. Things in life can and will be "dirty". Children and people need to learn to make these descisions at a young age. Im sorry but people swear, tell dirty jokes and have problems. We cant hide these facts. but what we can do is help our children learn to deal with these things. When Keana swears (usually learned from Donna) we teach her that these words arent appropriate and learn from it. My students that have the hardest time adjusting to the social aspects of college are those that have been placed in a bubble. They are the ones that have the hardest time of letting go of moms hand and exploring the world. These kids sit in their dorms all day and read books and then when a problem with a roomate comes up they have no idea how to cope and then come and see me hoping that i will fix the problem for them. Just remember (and I dont clame to be a perfect parent)that your child is only a child once. Let them fall and scrape their knee. Let them stand up for themselves at school. Let them learn how to deal with other people's beliefs and opinions. Let them have that ice cream cone or extra slice of cake. While they we be your child for ever, they will only be a child once.