I think technology has made parenting a lot harder. Says the non-parent. You don’t have to go to PTA meetings to know the internet is a doozie. However, There’s a another piece of technology that’s a bit more stealth in how it undermines parenting.
I was riding on the London Undergound. I shared a car with a couple with two kids, one in a stroller and a very active toddler. Now, I’ve shared with you my train antics as a lad. How I refused to hold on to the pole to demonstrate my supreme super hero balance.
My mom suffered my poppycock with amazing grace and patience. Though, I do think my mom would have drawn the line at me going vertical. The young boy hoisted himself all the way up a pole. I was equally amazed by his upper body strength as I was his mom and dad’s compliance. The boy then, after several failed attempts, swung himself from the vertical pole to the horizontal one above his parents’ heads. I’m not sure I could do that now! So the lad is definitely showing talent for gymnastics. I’m thinking silver on the parallel bar in 2020.
On the boy’s penultimate attempt I realized that his parents were videotaping his efforts. They were torn between the precociousness of the moment and their duties as the custodians of ushering into society a well-rounded, courteous person. They grow up so fast and those moments may never happen again. At least that’s what they can tell the judge at his sentencing twenty years from now. I kid, i kid. I would’ve seriously been between the same rock and hard place. Especially given the boys climbing proficiency. Catch you teach and capture?
FATHER: Ok son, we need to get this in one take... then go get a switch from the yard for your beating.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
But it's at least nice to know that if the kid had fallen and hurt himself, the evidence of parental negligence would have been fully documented.
Tangential to this, I do need to cop to one of the few racial stereotypes that I hold, which relates to the levels of indulgence white parents seem to show in public with regard to their kids' behavior. I will confess that on more than one occasion, I have found myself thinking when confronted by a complacent parent and an out-of-control hellion:
"This wouldn't be happening if that parent was black."
actually the parents were white in this case. Sometimes where' there's smoke, there's fire.
Post a Comment