Who Is Raising Your Children?

If the Government started informing us this week that they will be taking over the total education of your children within one month, how would you react?

This would include visual and audible teaching and training on what they should believe about all things. Not just their ABC’s, Reading and Math but about; morals, politics, spirituality, physical and mental health, sexuality, family, fantasy, imagination, how to control their emotions, appropriate and inappropriate emotions, eliminating fear, the modern idea of right and wrong, acceptance of things that make them uncomfortable, who the enemy is and who the enemy is not, how to do triage in their lives about what is important and what is at the bottom of the list, how they should feel about themselves and their own importance, etc...

This indoctrination would take place on a daily basis, every day of the week. While physical education would be taught and exercise would be encouraged, there would be no time set aside for these activities. Great things about nature, natural resources and our earth’s ecosystem would be taught and outdoor exploration would be idolized but there would be no time for that either. Some of you might think that this is a great idea and that the Government should have started doing this years ago, and if you think that way, then you have already been indoctrinated by this method yourself.

Actually this system is already in place and has been in place for several years. It is currently doing the job that it was, maybe unintentionally, meant to do. It is called Television, Movies, Video Games, Books and the Internet.

The problem is not with these devices in themselves but with the who that is behind them putting their opinions and ideas into your child's fertile and eager mind. It may not be the government who is producing this curriculum that is being poured into your child's brain everyday but who exactly are you letting educate and raise your children? If the government decided to do this we would be up in arms but because it is someone that we don’t see or know, that makes it safe?

Parents are too busy with their own lives to educate their children. They have jobs, TV shows, Facebook, YouTube, Movies, parties, games, friends, and of course they have to have their own “Me time”, as if they weren’t spending all of their time on themselves anyway. So, they park their kids in front of a TV, Video game, iPad, iPhone or Computer and they have a built-in babysitter. All the time not realizing what their children are learning from these hidden people who have all of their kid’s undivided attention.

Don’t think that you can stick a book in your child’s hand and feel better about yourself or buy them an eBook reader to get them away from the TV and Video games. Books are just as bad, if not worse. With the new digital books comes a new danger. Anyone and I do mean anyone can write a children’s or young adult book now. There are no editors or publishers needed. You can just stick your agenda into a children’s book and put it up on Amazon. Parents will download it because it’s free or cheap and without reading it themselves, put it on their kid’s Kindle or Nook.

So what can we do? Get your children out in the world and out into life. They need to learn things with you and from you! Spend time with them, teaching them things that you learned in your pleasant memories from childhood. Let your kids go outside, ride a bike, roller skate, horseback ride, jump rope, go barefoot, catch frogs, catch lightening bugs, swing, play in a creek, swim, fish, camp, get dirty. Spend hours each week with your children focusing on them and not on your smart phone.

Don’t let them read a book that you haven’t read first. Don’t let them play a video game without your supervision. Don’t let them watch anything that you haven’t watched first. Don’t trust the internet or TV with your child just because you need some “Me time”.

A Kindle Named Violet

For some unknown reason I happened to log in to my blogger account tonight. I was surprised to see that my last blog post was on 08/28/2010. So, it has been exactly one year since I have posted. It is strange that I would check in here tonight after being away for so long.

The reason that I have quit posting and writing altogether is because I have started some serious reading. You see, I bought myself a Kindle 3G and for the past year, she and I have been inseparable. I love her, her name is Violet and she is the Graphite model.

I currently have nearly 850 books on her and I get more free books almost every day. I have read or have had Violet read me around 80 books since last October. I get my free books by subscribing to Free Kindle Books Plus a Few Other Tips right on my Kindle. I let Michael Gallagher sort through the free books and suggest only the best. You can also access his blog for free on your PC here: http://fkbt.wordpress.com. You can spend money and buy eBooks too, if that is what you want to do.


Violet's face is so lovely and easy to read without a back-lit screen. I can read her anywhere without any glare or eyestrain (back-lit screens make my eyes tired). You do have to have a light in order to read in the dark or low light situations. I have a Kandle for my Kindle. But many other Clip-On Lights are available.

There are games and apps available for the Kindle. I have a Calendar and Sticky Notes on Violet. My favorite game is Monopoly, but there are lots of free games and apps.

The thing that I really love about Violet is that she fits in the pocket of a vest that I have and she reads to me through headphones while I am working around the house. She can read nearly all books. I can even put Audio Books and Music on her if I want to. She can read in a woman's or man's voice at slow, medium or fast speeds. I prefer the woman's voice at medium speed.

There are many ways to dress up your Kindle. Skins and Covers of every design, material and color. I no longer have a skin on Violet, but she is decked out in a JAVOedge Heritage Flip Case. This case protects, looks pretty and also stands Violet up like a picture frame, so I can read while having breakfast or lunch.

Violet will also check my email, Twitter, Facebook, weather, etc...for free using 3G. What more could you ask for?