I'm going to weigh in on this too -- this weekend's FB campaign to change your profile pic to your fav childhood cartoon to show your support for ending violence against children. And yes I did it -- not because I actually thought it would help the cause, but because it seemed like a fun thing to do. And was there ever a backlash. Take this posting for example- http://www.balefulregards.com/2010/12/child-abuse-is-no-cartoon.html. I felt awful after reading it -- was I making light of child abuse by messing around with FB? What should I really do about it? There are millions of helpless children who have no one who can save them. And here I sit at my PC lamenting about how stressful XMas shopping is!
Well, with most things lately, the first thing I can do is look in the mirror. What kind of a parent am I? Not in "theory", but in practice. I may not hit my kids, but am I verbally abusive? How many times has my yelling brought them to tears? What about when I'm just a bit too firm when physically removing them from a fight with each other, or hauling their butts up the stairs while they scream and flail? This is what I have control over -- staying in control. And what about neglect? Putting on the TV or signing them up for yet another activity when I should just be playing with them. Feigning interest in my son's stories when I'm too preoccupied with my troubles? Or even not wanting to put in the effort in my relationship for the sake of the kids. *sigh* These are the things that that FB campaign made me think about. I know I can be the parent I want to be if I just dig deep and feel the love. I remember how impressionable I was as a child. I remember being afraid of my Dad and trying so hard to make him happy. I remember my parents yelling and screaming, name-calling, and threatening. Children deserve happy childhoods. If I haven't accomplished anything in my life, I at least want to say that I gave my three babies that much. xx
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