Sickos, Bullies, and Crap. Oh my!

Here's what I found when I was looking for lighthearted morning news.

Sickos
Coach, 40, Weds 16-Year-Old Student
Anguished Parents Sign Consent Forms, Saying They Had No Choice
Right. There appears to be an epidemic of parents with no choice but to fail their children. Poor parents...it really is about them, after all.
Full story here. Be forewarned--it's filled with adults suffering from idiocy.

Bullies
Severe Bullying Caused Teen To Contemplate Suicide

Watch this. Key in on the schools' response and their idea of "normal middle school behavior".

Crap
Video Game Addiction: A Medical Disorder?
American Medical Association Seeks To Have Obsessive Game Playing Declared A Psychiatric Disorder
Full story here.
I suppose it is possible there are cases where this is actually a problem, however, something tells me that video games are not the responsbible party here. My first clues are that video games are inanimate, and require the will of a human in order to operate.

Your thoughts?

Cranky Old Mom

I guess that's what I've become. Now, anyone who knows me knows I like to have fun, and I do think I crack a funny joke here and there. However, I am finding it more and more difficult to enjoy what is meant to be mindless entertainment. I'm speaking about the movies.

I have always immensely enjoyed going to the movies. I even enjoy bad movies, because I like to think about what makes a movie good or bad. However, at the risk of sounding like a grumpy ol' grandma, there are themes these days that would never have made the cut for PG in my day. (Disclaimer: I did walk to school in the snow, and it was uphill--one way--but I don't think that should discredit my opinion here.)

The latest flick to cause me to shake my head (actually, I was making sarcastic jabs to my friend) is the new Nancy Drew movie. There are several really stupid messages in this movie (I won't even address the pre-teen mantra: if-you-dress-like-a-tart-and-treat-people-with-disgust-you-are-normal), not the least of which is this one from Kids In Mind:

MESSAGE - Forbidding a child from doing something that they love will make them go on doing it, but in secret.

How very UN-Nancy Drew.

Some other messages:
1. Throwing a wild party and trashing your house will make your dad "proud of you". (Yes, that is an actual quote from Carson Drew)

2. When disobeying your dad, ask 2 boys who are smitten with you. If they think it's OK, then it is OK.

3. Finally winning the approval of teen girls who are cruel to you, and dress like Steven Tyler, will make you feel good about yourself.


The rest of the movie is cute and corny and fun for the intended demographic. I couldn't really recommend it, though...

Perpetuating Stereotypes

Girl-A-Thon and a friend have been taking an embriodery class with 12 other girls. They are learning how to embroider, which is the point of the class. However, nothing is ever simple with 14 girls (except what I will write in my next post). A few days into the class, Girl-A-Thon and her friend decided to do their embroidery while in the character of medieval princesses. Unfortunately, this is, um...totally not cool. Some of the other girls began to make fun of them, at which point the teacher told the two (obviously improperly socialized) girls that they were asking to be teased, by acting like that. Thus in one fell swoop, stereotypes on both sides have been reinforced.

I have begun to reply to the most un-original question about homeschooling ("Aren't you worried about socialization?") with, "What do you mean by that?" Because, at our house, we have thought quite extensively about socialization; not in general, but in particular. We have determined that all socialization is not created equal.(Geniuses, aren't we?) And though I'm yet to have anyone actually formulate a reply to my question about socialization, I am quite capable of describing our family's thoughts on the same. My answer is actually quite long, and even backed with empirical data. (What a nerd. I wonder what kind of teasing I am asking for?)

The answer, for the parents who would take the time to think critically (ooh, educationese!) about socialization, is that they worry (for me) that my kids won't be able to survive as the fittest. Of course the difficulty here, is that we aren't seeking the same goal for our kids. I don't want my kids to be top of the heap in 6th or 7th or 10th grade. I have this crazy notion that my kids should seek to glorify God in all they say and do. Speaking from experience, observation, and yes, empirical data, that is simply not going to happen in a sea of other children. Furthermore, the adults strolling along the shores of that sea usually repsond to what I would defitinitely call anti-social behavior with a flippant "What did you expect? You're weird if you're nice (or innocent, or don't know who Paris Hilton is, etc.)"

Thus we remain a decidedly homeschooling family.