June 15, 2009
-
You Can’t raise a perfect child.
I’ve expressed my views on raising kids to a few people and I’m starting to get the overwhelming feeling that maybe I am a little crazy… I don’t know. I have never had a child, but I’ve lived with a LOT of people over the years who have had kids throughout my 26 years here on the planet. Enough people to have developed a sense of what things I should do and other things I shouldn’t do.
I am not going into this with the idea that raising a child is easy. It’s the hardest work anyone can do. It’s more than a full time job.
Having a Child requires you GIVE UP 20 years of your life. Minimum.
Here are a few key ideas that I have;
1. Getting pregnant can be an accident, raising a child cannot be.
I think you have to go into it with a plan. Even if you have to write the plan down to remember it, you have to have a little structure and know where you are going. Setting rules and goals “on the fly” is going to get confusing and eventually hard to control.
2. Santa or Jesus?
Which God should your child believe in?
3. Home-School or government education?
Government schools scare the hell out of me. They teach values and ideas that are far from what I hold to. Can you accept the fact that the school will be teaching your kids the things you should be teaching them?
4. Raising a child with good credit.
I want to start a savings account for my child the day he/she is born. his/her first car’s deposit and payments will be made with that money in his/her name, on time, every month. My kids paychecks will go straight into a bank account and he will receive and allowance from it. I will teach him/her the value of saving, making payments on-time and living responsibly below your means.
5. MUSIC!!!
Have you ever heard someone say “I wish I had never learned guitar and/or piano?”
Make your kids take lessons, not just a couple, from the age of 5 to 18. Trust me, they will thank you later.I might seem crazy, but these are just a few of my ideas.
Can a single, 26 year old male have any idea what he is talking about when it comes to raising kids???
Stand by for chapter two “Pet Peeves” (a pet peeves blog is ALWAYS more entertaining than a thinking-out-loud blog)
Comments (6)
It’s good to be thinking how and why you want to raise children. I’m 50 now and I started at 34 and have three. 16,10, and 8. I home schooled one and learned more about myself as we experienced learning and individual choice. I have a child that was speech delayed and public school brought him to wanting to communicate more. Home school wouldn’t have done it. Music? My children love it, never had to “make” them, just sang and danced and played around them with joy in my heart as I did it. At 26, you sound like you’re thinking about your ideas for children. Good for you. I did the same. I would suggest though, that you take one moment at a time with your future children and be the guide as they tell you, show you, and become the individuals they are to be. Oh yeah…Santa or Jesus? We talk about the spirit of giving being alive and well. We speak of Jesus’ story and the great hope that he brought to the world in such a dark time. We speak about how we can each be a great hope too. Children are like snowflakes, no two exactly the same, and there is the greatest gift of all. Have a wonderful day.
I disagree with the statement… becuase you give up your entire life period… im 22 and I still call my mom for advice for my daughter and go to her house to cry over childish things, becuase I know she will be there for me… But yes 20 years minum… atleast…
I completly agree with #1… Yu can get prego on accident.. my daughter (now almost 2) was concieved by an all nighter due to jager bombs… but By all means shes no mistake… I hope that many people understand the difference, between an accident… and a mistake…
Im still unsure of homeschooling or government schooling… as I am going to school to be an elementary school teacher… Still after even that.. I don’t know whats worse.. government corrupting my child, or my lack of knowledge on many subjects to properly answer my childs questions…
AMEN!!! to #4… we started Amber a bank account when she was born… and even though my husband barely works now… and we may only be able to add 5$ here and there to itwhen we do have the extra money… its the intrest and extra time we are putting into it… and I plan on doing the same thing… Responsibility!!.. you can’t have your whole paycheck to go blow on a weekend of fun and adventures… you will plan, and save up… and still have money for the future!!!…
Honestly, with your lack of experince, your pretty much on the ball.. You know what you would get into if it where to happen… I just hope you actaully DO IT… and MEAN it when it comes times…
Also one more tip… you and the mother may not always agree whats best… but the best way to solve that is talk it out… and try to come up witha happy medium… believe it or not that can cause alot of confusion on a child…
@ImUrKarma - the last point you mentioned about not being on the same page with the mother is KEY.
I guess its just one opinon to another… Some people can competly agree with everyone with the other… Me im one of those that atleast tries to find a happy medium.. I see what you mean about being on the same page… but that dosn’t mean you have to agree with everything… or that you wont agree with everything … That was more or less what I was getting at… You hun have nothing toworry about now… Infact I don’t think you need to worry at all… you already have your plan set fourth IF it where to happen… Which is more than I had until I found out I was pregant…!!!
That is very responsible of you to think this way.
Very smart and no it’s not easy but these things you discuss can greatly improve how your kids turn out and they really will thank you one day for things they may not understand when they are young.
I think these are all great. My one regret when I was raising my 4 children pretty much alone – trying to be their friend, not their parent.