As I write my blog, I know there will be all sorts of people (including my students) reading my blog and I am grateful for anyone who can sit and read what I write. My writing is improving. But, it is still not on the level of some sort of “word-smith.” My writing style is somewhat “simple.” I AM simple. I enjoy being simple. I do believe there will be a time when my “simplicity” will grow to impact / influence more people.
Over three-hundred-million people live in our beautiful nation. Knowing there are so many people, I truly believe I can get a couple of hundred people to give me the honor of adding value to their lives without any expectation of them adding value to my life. I would love to have hundreds / thousands / even MILLIONS of folks who I could help see the REAL LIFE. Move away from the life made-up by social media or those who will be the first to speak at a CLIMATE CHANGE rally and leave their PLASTIC water bottle behind for someone else to pick-up.
I agree relationships are better when we give 100% and expect nothing in return. Sure. There are people who believe a relationship is “fifty-fifty.” Yet, I have learned not to have that expectation. By not having that “50-“50” expectation, I am disappointed LESS. If anyone gives me anything POSITIVE in return for my 100%, I am eternally grateful.
Having been a high school music teacher for thirty-plus years, I am more aware of the “100% – 0%” expectation from relationships / other human beings. Almost every day – certainly not every day – (ain’t that strong or good of a person), I make it a goal to give 100% to my students or people, in general. To let people know I love them. Be a good role model to and for them. Do all I can to “walk-the-walk” with them.
I wanted the prior paragraphs to be almost a disclaimer for the “difficult” topic I am going to approach.
STOP SCARING THE CHILDREN AND CHILDREN, YOU ARE BEING abUSED!!
This latest protest featuring children … latest in a series of protests since Tuesday, November 8, 2016, is THE example of adults using children as a shield for their causes. The protests that come to mind (and there are more…): WOMEN’S MARCH; GUNS (following the awful MSDHS killing); and now … CLIMATE CHANGE on September 20, 2019.
The CLIMATE CHANGE protest on September 20, 2019 was terrible. Seeing and hearing children as young as eleven-years-old screaming / talking loudly / fear in the tone of their voice was horrific. Horrific because they are responding as a child responds to what adults teach them. I am frustrated that the majority of us who saw what we saw, read what we read, are too quiet. I love the N.Y. POST OPINION ARTICLE by Karol Markowicz: THE ‘CLIMATE STRIKE’ IS A CROCK THAT EXPLOITS KIDS. This opinion is the opinion for every “strike” involving children we have seen since November 8, 2016.
Please… make sure you read the article and every time you read the article, substitute the “cause” with another cause… FOR EXAMPLE:
This Friday, in advance of the United Nations Climate Summit, students across the country will walk out of their schools as part of a Climate Strike. In New York City, the Department of Education has given its stamp of approval to the walk-out and won’t mark it as an absence, making it less “a strike” and more a coordinated effort by the school system to force political action on children.
That is the opening paragraph of Ms. Markowicz’s article …
Play “Mad-Lib” with it….
This Friday, in advance of the United Nations CAUSE Summit, students across the country will walk out of their schools as part of a SAME CAUSE Strike. In NAME OF CITY Department of Education has given its stamp of approval to the walk-out and won’t mark it as an absence, making it less “a strike” and more a coordinated effort by the school system to force political action on children.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
See. I am right.
Replace the cause with another and you will see the adults direct this.
I love my students. What I love about my students is they are “children.” They have real issues to deal with that need calm / supportive / experienced / MATURE adults’ support: divorce; homelessness; addiction (drugs / alcohol / vaping / etc.); mental; and on and on… (and no…. CLIMATE CHANGE isn’t “the” cause for any topics listed). on September 20, 2019, not one of my 150 students walked out AND GOOD FOR THEM. They have issues that are more a part of their childhood than CLIMATE CHANGE.
To hear the screaming / yelling / shrill from these students on Friday and Monday (interesting – why not have the protest on a Saturday or Sunday or outside the school day; show some real sacrifice children; YOU KNOW… LIKE YOUR OWN TIME!!) was damn near SAD. For children, their time is valuable. As far as their time, what did they sacrifice? They were all excused from school! Hmmmmm … They have fallen for the fear the adults have propagated to them. SERIOUSLY. They have.
Brainwashed? Hmmmm … I choose to stay away from that term. But, I do believe that the students (children) have been definitely manipulated to believe CLIMATE CHANGE is more of an issue than the typical TEENAGE issues each of them and /or their peers are dealing with, such as, addiction to social media, broken families or homelessness.
The children are starting to believe AND BEING TAUGHT every social issue (divorce; homelessness; addiction; anxiety; and … and … and …) can be attributed to CLIMATE CHANGE or President Trump. NOT TRUE! It’s not. Not every social issue is due to CLIMATE CHANGE or PRESIDENT TRUMP or a combination of both.
Those students on Saturday, September 20, 2019 are SCARED. I get it. They hear their leaders (parents / teachers / politicians / celebrities) telling them / “teaching” them to be scared. Oppose to what? TEACH THEM HOW TO MAKE THE WORLD BETTER. Take control of their fear by DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE.
Remember ARBOR DAY when we were younger. We would study the importance of trees and then be given a little tree to plant. WAS THAT DONE ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019? Answer: NO! Instead, those CHILDREN did what their leaders do: TALK TALK TALK… SHRILL… SCREAM… INTIMIDATE.
What about recycling? In the hopes of improving our environment, we were taught and encouraged to separate our garbage. We do get it.
Hey… throw away your garbage?
Hey … instead of driving two blocks to school… why not walk two blocks?
Teach our children how to make wise choices. According to presidential candidates, to help with climate change, the government is going to keep track of how often we drive and will limit our driving. According to presidential candidates, to help with the climate change, the government is going to limit how many cows / livestock are going to be available. The government is looking at controlling our diet. Our children are being taught to do what the government is telling us to do!
WHERE ARE THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM?
To my students, PLEASE … every issue we are dealing with begins with… say it with me… US!
I am doing all I can to “save” my students from the belief the world controls them, when in fact, THEY CAN “CONTROL-THEIR-WORLD.”
As adults, we know to change the world we must change ourselves. Change comes from our choices.
What we saw on Friday, September 20, 2019 were scared children. I don’t want my students to be scared. I want my students to have confidence in the ability to accept full responsibility for their choices. If every human (insurmountable goal) took full responsibility for their choices (including throwing away their bottles during the CLIMATE CHANGE PROTEST), our world would be better.
Self-Discipline… Discipline leads to freedom (JOCKO WILLINK). I am teaching my students you have more discipline, you have more freedom.
Following their time with me, when my students leave my classroom, I have peace knowing that I taught them: WE ARE IN CONTROL OF OUR CHOICES, INCLUDING OUR RESPONSES. And, then… HOW DO THOSE CHOICES / RESPONSES HELP ANOTHER HUMAN BEING? If your choices / responses do NOT help another human being, you will be remembered as a person who only cared about your world and didn’t help one other person. What a tragic life for a human: NOT HELPING ANOTHER HUMAN ENJOY THEIR LIFE. CELEBRATE LIFE.
Read Carol Markowicz’s article: https://nypost.com/2019/09/17/the-climate-strike-is-a-crock-that-exploits-kids/
OBJECTIVELY / RATIONALLY looking at the rallies / protests involving children as young as eleven-years-old speaking … could you please consider how those children are enjoying their childhood? They have plenty of time to be adults and act like adults. To think those children on September 20, 2019 were living a “normal” childhood? You and I differ on what a “normal” childhood looks like and is.
Parents / Adults – we need to take care of our children… what “we” did on Friday is anything, but take care of our children. What “we” do each time a child speaks at a rally is anything, but taking care of our children. They need their childhood. The world isn’t going to end in 11 years. SHAME ON YOU! That eleven year-old who spoke on September 20, 2019 is going to be disappointed when in 11 years, she is 22-years-old and she sees that the world did not end and much of her childhood was spent supporting adults’ politics. SHAME ON YOU!
For my students… Mr. Rogers – could you make a comeback, sir? We need you. The song “I’m Taking Care of You” was featured in episode 1418. On that episode, Mr. Rogers has a book of poetry by Al Worden – HELLO EARTH: GREETINGS FROM ENDEAVOUR… Interesting that the song I select is from an episode that has a book about EARTH.
I’m Taking Care of You
++++++++++
I’m taking care of you
Taking good care of you
For once I was very little too
Now I take care of you