According to Sam and Jim Commenting on things that irk us off, make us laugh out loud or just seem too weird too believe According to Sam and Jim: Would Your Kid Turn to You?

Friday, November 18, 2011

Would Your Kid Turn to You?


Boy. With all the bad stuff going on in our world it’s tough to write something positive and humorous – which is what I’d like to do. I’m sitting in Starbucks with my laptop drinking coffee while Sam plays at his day care, and I’m wracking my brain to come up with tomorrow’s post.

Yesterday I took Sam to his day care for picture day and there was a new dog there, a little bigger than Sam and that dog backed Sam into a corner and wouldn’t leave him alone. I waited to see if Sam would defend himself but he didn’t. He didn’t exactly cower, but he didn’t snarl at the other dog or lunge for his throat either. He just sat there and tolerated the other dog.

Finally, I had enough and picked Sam up. He was obviously uncomfortable with being bullied and promptly snuggled down into my arms happy as a little fur ball. I swear he sighed with relief.

So, was I a bad parent to bail my little guy out of a situation he was totally uncomfortable with? You would do the same wouldn’t you?

Shouldn’t the parents of the kids "molested" by that coach at Penn State have noticed something wrong with their kids and intervened way earlier? Seems to me like many of those people now are more concerned with making sure somebody gets punished to the tune of several million dollars. It’s also hard to believe that so many kids were abused by Roman Catholic priests without their parents realizing what was going on  earlierand taking action.

We need to pay more attention to our kids. We’re so danged busy with our careers and making sure life is all "about me" that it’s easier to let our kids watch TV or play video games or participate in every extra-curricular activity out of school that we can think of so they won’t be too much bother. It’s the modern equivalent of making sure they are seen not heard.

Sam often drops one of his toys at my feet wanting me to play with him when it isn’t convenient. He yaps at me some times when I’m sitting at my laptop trying to write; he can be a real pest. But I love Sam and Lord help me I hope I never ignore him so much that he allows himself to be molested by a bigger more forceful dog.

We had a neighbor kid a few years ago who just craved adult attention. He insisted on mowing our lawn, which I let him do even though I really enjoyed getting the exercise myself. This neighbor kid would ask my advice about working on his bike, or come over and borrow a tool when mostly he just wanted an adult to talk to. I felt badly for that kid. Kathleen and I invited him in for pizza one time and he talked and talked and talked.

I considered enlisting in the Big Brother organization a few years ago. I didn’t because they insisted on a background check. I’m no pedophile or even petty criminal but I didn’t want my privacy invaded that much. Sadly, I think a lot of other people who might be able to help kids feel that way too; especially after all the scandals. Lately it feels like the pedophiles and molesters outnumber the good guys.

1 comment:

  1. I enjoy reading your articles.
    I agree with you most of the time. Back ground checks like the TSA are both a charade. It is difficult to be humorous at times. I wonder if that is why Dave Barry quit writing regularly. When the world was 90 degrees out of whack it was funny. At 180 degrees it ain't so funny. I found Andrew Klavan's videos to be funny.
    I also have a Shih Tzu. 5 1/2 yo born on tax day. I'm sure Sugar and Sam would get along together. However, she loves meeting people. On our daily walks there are few people who will ignore her.
    She has the personality that God intended for us to have.
    Bob Payne from Pittsburgh

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