Parents Don't Do Enough

As some of you can tell, I am about stirring the pot and causing discussion and I will not refrain from telling readers how I feel about a certain topic. With upcoming release of the new Grand Theft Auto game, I felt the need to talk about the controversy surrounding video games and their affect on society.

Now I am big on video games. I own 4 systems and have games spanning 5 (the PS2 also plays Original PlayStation games). One of my personal favorites is the Blood Rayne games which combines violence, blood, gore, and a very sexy main character. As much as I love these games, I also am a big advocate of the rating system to help parents know which games to let their children play or to keep them from playing. I do not feel that a 10 year old needs to be playing a game like Grand Theft Auto. Despite the rating system, every time something bad happens where a school is assaulted by students with guns the blame is put on these games that these kids were allowed to play as wall as the music they listened to or the movies they watched.

While I feel it is inappropriate for young kids to play violent games or watch violent movies, I makes me sick that people fail to blame parents for not raising their children more diligently and taking responsibility for what happened. And place the blame mostly on the children who commit these acts of violence. I know it is a big politically correct thing where we need to be understanding and I do see the need to be delicate about it. I am not a heartless bastard. And even mental illness can be an excuse for such behavior. But for those of you who blame music, video games, or movies for the behavior of these troubled youths or violence in society, I have a few questions. Who let then play these games? Who let them watch these movies? Who let them listen to this music? Who didn't teach them from an early age that the violence in these games is wrong? The answer, their parent(s).

This new age parenting of making deals with your kids, respecting their privacy, and letting them be "free spirits" is a bunch of crap. As a parent you have a responsibility to raise you children and control what they watch, listen to, and play. You have the responsibility of teaching that killing is wrong and attacking people for no reason is wrong. Especially if they hear of something violent happening in the news. That is when you need to talk to them instead of just letting them hear about it and saying nothing. And you children do not have a right to privacy (technically Americans don't have that right to begin with). They have a right to be provided food, clothing, shelter, and loving parents. If your child proves that he can be trusted then by all means give them some privacy but not to the point that you stop being a parent. If your child doesn't show you that they can be trusted you don't give them privacy. You take it away, and you check on them to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to. And you never make deals with kids. You need to be a parent and set rules and guidelines just like there are laws that must be followed in the real world.

The bottom line is that you can not trust society to ensure your child will know right from wrong. You must take responsibility as a parent for their actions and set an example for your children as well. The best way to teach your child is by what you do because that is where they learn the best. All the words in the world will be just wasted if your actions defy your words. I know some of you will say "parents can only do so much" but the problem is that parent don't do the "so much" that they can do. Often they fall short and the child is the one they hurt by not doing all they can do.

I welcome your comments, both good bad on all of my blogs.

Debt is BAD!!!

This may come as a shock to many of you because we live in the land of buy now pay eventually, but now we also live in the land of debt collectors and foreclosure. Some of you don't know about this and some of you know this all too well. I hope that some of you never experience this but living beyond your means and not saving money is VERY BAD and credit cards are also VERY BAD. I may sound like I am talking down to you but I am just keeping it simple because it is very simple. Let's talk about the worst, credit cards.

I remember being told that using a credit card was a good way to establish credit but unfortunately I was not told that it is also a good way to ruin your credit and to get extremely in debt. I know every store throws offers at you where you can save 10 percent on your purchases if you apply for their credit card. It is tempting because we all want to save money but what they don't tell you is that if you are approved, you have to charge your purchase to the account. Sure you can pay it off as soon as you get the bill but now the temptation is there to have more things and not have to pay for them right away. If you don't pay it off right away then you are charged high interest rates. Before you know it, you have 5 cards and are unable to make the minimum payments. This is why so many debt consolidation companies are out there offering a way out. The thrill of getting nice things tempts us and having these cards makes it even more tempting and most of us give in. Unfortunately we spend ourselves into a hole until we can no longer see the light from the top or a way out. And don't think credit card companies care about you because they could care less. They just want you to be in debt to them so much that it would take you forever to pay them back and you will just keep paying and paying and they get more money. They only care about getting their money from you and getting you further in debt. Eventually you will get to a point where you are barely able to pay these bills and have to use the cards because you have no savings and something is wrong with your car or you need groceries, or you children need school clothes. Then you get to a point where you can't pay your credit cards, your credit is shot, and you are being harassed by debt collectors every day asking you for money and you can't buy a house because no one will give you a loan.

Now here is your solution. If you do not have a credit card, don't get one. If you do,stop using them and work towards getting them paid off, even if it means you get a second job so you have more money to do so. Say no to stores who offer you discounts if you apply for a credit card. They only lead to trouble and temptation.

Now some things you need to go into debt for like a house or a car and even school but save money for these things. Build a savings so you go into as little debt as possible and pay it off as soon as you can. Build yourself an emergency fund just in case. Things happen and you should be prepared with cash instead credit. We need to stop the trend of living beyond our means, develop a budget, invest in our future, and prepare for life's little upsets. You would be surprised how you could really improve your quality of life and occasionally get yourself nice things without a credit card and 2 mortgages. If you need help to get to that point, seek it out. There are many people who will help you and will work with you and advise you. The path may not be easy but no one sad it would be.

YOUTUBE and MYSPACE didn't gang beat her.

Many of you know about the girls who ganged up on their former friend and proceeded to beat her for trash talking them on myspace. They even taped it to supposedly post it on youtube. I just want on touch on a few different opinions I have noticed.

First, these girls deserve to be tried as adults, even the ones who didn't beat her. I saw an interview of one moms of a girl who just watched and supposedly warned the victim before hand. The reporter asked her how many times her daughter called the police. And in that question lies the truth. The ones who didn't touch her and only watched are just as guilty for letting it happen and doing NOTHING! And the ones who did beat her caused so much damage that they should be tried as adults.

Now some think that the girl deserved the beating for talking trash about her former friends. While I don't believe she was right to talk trash about the other girls, the beating she received wasn't justified because of it. That kind of mentality is exactly what is wrong with the world. If it was just a slap to the face then it would have been justified, but beating her unconscious and then beating her more is horrible no matter what she said.

And for those of you who blame youtube and myspace for what was done, you are not placing blame where blame is due. These websites didn't cause the violence, the six girls caused the violence. The problem is that people blame society and not the guilty or the parents. Didn't these parents teach the girls that this kind of behavior is wrong. Shouldn't these girls know better than to do these things. Stop blaming society and start taking responsibility for your actions and blame the people who commit these crimes.


I welcome any comments, positive or negative.