"Happy Heart Day"
the only way that Logan would let me take down the Christmas tree (which was done only last week) was by explaining that Happy Heart Day was coming. He can't say Valentine, so I put it in simpler words. He agreed that we needed to prepare for Heart Day, the tree came down,. and my son now understands "kinda' that when a new holiday comes, we put all the old stuff away.
The boys and I met my mom for lunch. Genghis Khan Mongolian Barbeque. I highly recommend it. What suicked though was that they were charging their dinner price ($8.95) all day long (instead of a $5.95 lunch time price). But, I splurged and we all had a great lunch.
I was at a complete loss of what to get the wife for Heart Day, so figured the sentimental path was the best to travel. I boght some stationary from Walmart, and had each of the boys color it - so each had a card for mommy. I traced their hands and feet on each of their respective papers, and then let them color away with crayons.
In the past, Valentines Day was a BIG BIG BIG money maker for me. Booking singing telegrams as cupid, Elvis, a teddy bear or in a tux. I regret to inform that this year, I either simply didnt get to return as many calls as I would have liked to, and that no one booked anything. One year, I made enough to buy myself a Vhs-c AND a mini-dv camcorder. There are definite drawbacks to being the stay at home parent. Gotta plan better for next year.
Can't think of much else right now - I'll try to get pics of the art work the kids did for their mommy. I'll leave this page open - go browse the web, and pop back when I think of somethign worth reading/writting about.
** Ya know, every time that I post a comment on my own blog, and have to enter that "verification" code (and enter it wrong) , I feel like the Wiggles when that damn door of theirs won't open for them, even after they prove that it's THEIR house they want to get into.
*Ok a browse over at Father Knows Jest (see link to the right) brings up a socially relavant issue to discuss. Homosexuality, and children's awareness of it. I remember a few weeks back, that the California school system was being sued by a couple of teachers. The skool system had decided to post signs in all their classroom that stated (I paraphrase here) - "This is a safe zone to be yourself", and it had words around the center text (Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, transgender, ect). Ok, I was able to link the actual sign - click above to see it. Anyway, the main admin person was on tv, doing an interview, and was asked :
"What about the rights of students who feel that those sexual preferences are wrong? What will happen to them if they speak up? Are they also safe to be themselves?"
The answer was a resounding (and questionable) (again, I paraphrase here)"Yes. As long as nothing is said in an antagonistic manner"
I really don't belive that this will be the case. I'd bet anything that the first person (for either personal or religious reasons) that speaks up and says "It's wrong to be gay" will be suspended.
Secondly, what right does the school systen have to condone ANY sexual orientation, even that of mainstream "straight". I understand them wanting to make kids who need help feel that they have a safe place to be. But I feel that that may also be takign away the rights of those who think, maybe, gay is wrong. If gay truly is "predestined", then why does it seem that they are promoting a sexual preference of any type to children who have no idea who they themselves are? Kids will want to be an astronaut one day, and a doctor the next. The last thing I want, as a parent, is for my child to think that "gay" is on the table as a possibility of who they "really may be". Dont' misunderstand me - If my kids turn out gay (while I'll be disappointed and self blaming), I'll accept them as the children that I love. But that doens't mean that I want anyone glorifiy it to them. I wouldn't want anyone glorlifying serial killing, even though it may also be predetermined. (Dont' get pissy - Im got saying that beign gay is the same as beign a serial killer) What I AM sayign is that I belive it to be the job of the school to bring into the awareness of my children those topics, job fields, educational issues and "things" that are most appropriate and socially accepted for their appropriate age range. Children are always trying to define themselves - to "discover " who they are. If he's gay, he's gay - but Im sure as hell not planting the seed of possibility in his head. And neither should any educational system.
On a side note - the same amount of social unacceptance could be said years ago, about couples with "mixed" children. Why would someone want to put their kids through that, some may have asked. But today, it seems that "mixed" people are everythere on tv. I dare say, that mixed race people are even a sought after commodity with regards to marketing and advertisment, as they appleal to various targeted socio-economic/ethnic audiences. Any think that one day, we'll look back at gays and wonder what all the fuss was over back in the early years of 2000?
After a quick potty break, and time to think more: 2 things
1. In a way, I support gay marriage, because if you look at it, it deon'st really undermine family values so much as it Really sticks it to the insurance companies. Ant they've been sticking it to US for years now.
2. For the average american parent, I think that homosexuality is in the same category as heart attackes and fat car crashes - you know that they are a reality, that they happen, you just pray that they never happen to you involving your kids.
*********************************************************************************
Phil over at A Family Runs Through It has a post about the new Curious George movie. Critics, it seems, are putting the movie down because it is a "children's Movie", and doesn't appeal to a wider age-ranged audience. I think - FINALLY a film that's for kids, and someone has to stomp on it for not being adult enough.
The other day, Logan (3 yrs old) wanted to watch a movie, but shot down every selection that I offered. "Bad guys in that movie, Da". Even an innocent Babar movie had Rhinos as the bad guys (although they DO make friends).
As a parent, I'm really hard pressed to name any movie that doens't have some sort of bad guy in it. (Besides those boring Young Einstein videos - yuck!)
Also, I've noticed too often how "adult humor" find it's way into childen's movies. Can anyone name the kids movie that the following came from...
" Bi-otch was like WHAT! and i was like LATA ON!"
On a side note, I get tired of voice overs being people who are "popular" at the time. Like Cameron Diaz as the voice of Princess Fiona in Shrek. I personally cant stand cameron. She as hot in the Mask, and now looks like some uninflated flat chested floosey. Hey, my font is shrinking!! I wouldn't mind, cent I watched Alice in wonderland and am now looking out for when things get very large or very small.
***************************************************
Well, bout time for me to end this one. Before my font shrinks to nothing. Night all.
The boys and I met my mom for lunch. Genghis Khan Mongolian Barbeque. I highly recommend it. What suicked though was that they were charging their dinner price ($8.95) all day long (instead of a $5.95 lunch time price). But, I splurged and we all had a great lunch.
I was at a complete loss of what to get the wife for Heart Day, so figured the sentimental path was the best to travel. I boght some stationary from Walmart, and had each of the boys color it - so each had a card for mommy. I traced their hands and feet on each of their respective papers, and then let them color away with crayons.
In the past, Valentines Day was a BIG BIG BIG money maker for me. Booking singing telegrams as cupid, Elvis, a teddy bear or in a tux. I regret to inform that this year, I either simply didnt get to return as many calls as I would have liked to, and that no one booked anything. One year, I made enough to buy myself a Vhs-c AND a mini-dv camcorder. There are definite drawbacks to being the stay at home parent. Gotta plan better for next year.
Can't think of much else right now - I'll try to get pics of the art work the kids did for their mommy. I'll leave this page open - go browse the web, and pop back when I think of somethign worth reading/writting about.
** Ya know, every time that I post a comment on my own blog, and have to enter that "verification" code (and enter it wrong) , I feel like the Wiggles when that damn door of theirs won't open for them, even after they prove that it's THEIR house they want to get into.
*Ok a browse over at Father Knows Jest (see link to the right) brings up a socially relavant issue to discuss. Homosexuality, and children's awareness of it. I remember a few weeks back, that the California school system was being sued by a couple of teachers. The skool system had decided to post signs in all their classroom that stated (I paraphrase here) - "This is a safe zone to be yourself", and it had words around the center text (Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, transgender, ect). Ok, I was able to link the actual sign - click above to see it. Anyway, the main admin person was on tv, doing an interview, and was asked :
"What about the rights of students who feel that those sexual preferences are wrong? What will happen to them if they speak up? Are they also safe to be themselves?"
The answer was a resounding (and questionable) (again, I paraphrase here)"Yes. As long as nothing is said in an antagonistic manner"
I really don't belive that this will be the case. I'd bet anything that the first person (for either personal or religious reasons) that speaks up and says "It's wrong to be gay" will be suspended.
Secondly, what right does the school systen have to condone ANY sexual orientation, even that of mainstream "straight". I understand them wanting to make kids who need help feel that they have a safe place to be. But I feel that that may also be takign away the rights of those who think, maybe, gay is wrong. If gay truly is "predestined", then why does it seem that they are promoting a sexual preference of any type to children who have no idea who they themselves are? Kids will want to be an astronaut one day, and a doctor the next. The last thing I want, as a parent, is for my child to think that "gay" is on the table as a possibility of who they "really may be". Dont' misunderstand me - If my kids turn out gay (while I'll be disappointed and self blaming), I'll accept them as the children that I love. But that doens't mean that I want anyone glorifiy it to them. I wouldn't want anyone glorlifying serial killing, even though it may also be predetermined. (Dont' get pissy - Im got saying that beign gay is the same as beign a serial killer) What I AM sayign is that I belive it to be the job of the school to bring into the awareness of my children those topics, job fields, educational issues and "things" that are most appropriate and socially accepted for their appropriate age range. Children are always trying to define themselves - to "discover " who they are. If he's gay, he's gay - but Im sure as hell not planting the seed of possibility in his head. And neither should any educational system.
On a side note - the same amount of social unacceptance could be said years ago, about couples with "mixed" children. Why would someone want to put their kids through that, some may have asked. But today, it seems that "mixed" people are everythere on tv. I dare say, that mixed race people are even a sought after commodity with regards to marketing and advertisment, as they appleal to various targeted socio-economic/ethnic audiences. Any think that one day, we'll look back at gays and wonder what all the fuss was over back in the early years of 2000?
After a quick potty break, and time to think more: 2 things
1. In a way, I support gay marriage, because if you look at it, it deon'st really undermine family values so much as it Really sticks it to the insurance companies. Ant they've been sticking it to US for years now.
2. For the average american parent, I think that homosexuality is in the same category as heart attackes and fat car crashes - you know that they are a reality, that they happen, you just pray that they never happen to you involving your kids.
*********************************************************************************
Phil over at A Family Runs Through It has a post about the new Curious George movie. Critics, it seems, are putting the movie down because it is a "children's Movie", and doesn't appeal to a wider age-ranged audience. I think - FINALLY a film that's for kids, and someone has to stomp on it for not being adult enough.
The other day, Logan (3 yrs old) wanted to watch a movie, but shot down every selection that I offered. "Bad guys in that movie, Da". Even an innocent Babar movie had Rhinos as the bad guys (although they DO make friends).
As a parent, I'm really hard pressed to name any movie that doens't have some sort of bad guy in it. (Besides those boring Young Einstein videos - yuck!)
Also, I've noticed too often how "adult humor" find it's way into childen's movies. Can anyone name the kids movie that the following came from...
" Bi-otch was like WHAT! and i was like LATA ON!"
On a side note, I get tired of voice overs being people who are "popular" at the time. Like Cameron Diaz as the voice of Princess Fiona in Shrek. I personally cant stand cameron. She as hot in the Mask, and now looks like some uninflated flat chested floosey. Hey, my font is shrinking!! I wouldn't mind, cent I watched Alice in wonderland and am now looking out for when things get very large or very small.
***************************************************
Well, bout time for me to end this one. Before my font shrinks to nothing. Night all.
posted by Darth Daddy @ 2/14/2006 11:54:00 PM
3 Comments:
At 10:39 AM,
Steve S said…
What I AM sayign is that I belive it to be the job of the school to bring into the awareness of my children those topics... and "things" that are most appropriate and socially accepted for their appropriate age range.
If you go back and read your rant here, you can see that it sounds like these are posted in kindergarten halls. If you look at the pic though, you can see it is in high school, where kids tend to become sexually active. You give a wrong and dangerous implication here.
It does not 'promote' orientation. It promotes self esteem and self acceptance. Because there are so many people who condemn homosexuality, the suicide rate for gay youth is 5 times the national average. 5 times.
Anyway, the main admin person was on tv, doing an interview, and was asked :
"What about the rights of students who feel that those sexual preferences are wrong? What will happen to them if they speak up? Are they also safe to be themselves?"
If you look at your analogy here, you wonder if they are free to CONDEMN something that you yourself admit people are possibly born with. In all fairness, they should be suspended if they antagonize and condemn another, but they should be free to be their hetero self.
Your analogy compares a gay person accepting him/her self with the 'rights' of a straight person to condemn. That's not fair or equal. The gay person isn't seeking to condemn heterosexuality. You are creating a scenario of apples and oranges.
The gay person should be free to accept him/her self and the hetero person should be free to accept him/her self. That is fair. It is because people believe that the hetero has a right to condemn that causes gay youth to commit suicide and require a need for the signs in the first place.
All we want is for people to be free to be themselves. Why can't you just be a hetero dad with a (possibly) hetero kid and live and let live? Why do you need a 'right' to condemn?
Unfortunately, this is why I have to put my kid in a private school.
At 9:18 PM,
jen said…
I would just like to point out that I taught school and don't think the school has any business discussing any sexuality issue at all other than how it relates to health. That's what parents are for. If they don't want to discuss it with their kids, that's what therapists are for... not teachers.
At 11:01 PM,
Steve S said…
Shannon, no ill will, I hope.
Jenny, how is a child to track down a therapist and pay for it?
Many gay teens have questions and fears and if they approach their parents, we can see that they will face disapproval, condemnation and many of them physically get thrown out of the home.
Are these teens able to afford 150 dollars an hour for a therapist? Please elaborate on your solution. I'm not trying to be sarcastic but get you all to think, to see, not necessarily to open your homes and arms to gay youth, but to see the need that exists.
What therapists and who pays?
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