"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'."
— Groucho Marx
I HATE seeing parents use a leash on their children. They are not animals.
I agree with you. But keep in mind that in the very rare instance, physically restraining a child may be the only way to keep him safe. As a special ed teacher, I have learned that some children have such a severe inability to control their own actions that it is enormously difficult for their psrents to take them out in public. For those very few children who really can not be taught not to run away, a leash may be an unfortunate necessity.
A different viewpoint, Jack: Some people with very active children love them at least as much as they love their dogs. It finally worked for us to smack the Stunt Man upside the head and say, "You see those big cars? They can KILL you!" (He lectured everyone for weeks using these two sentences out of his two-year-old mouth. It was funny coming from such a little golden-curled kid.) But if he hadn't "gotten it," if he had kept running out into the street during our walks, I would have considered a leash preferable to a little tiny coffin.
As a father it is easy for me to attest to the fact that children have their own personalities and individual needs.
I haven't any problem acknowledging that some of those needs call for special arrangements.
But I know of parents who have defaulted for the leash because they think it is easier. I have a problem with that.
Parenting is not something that you do out of convenience. We all face situations in which our children force us to do things that are inconvenient or uncomfortable.
Most children do not fall into the special needs category where they are incapable of controlling themselves.
WE know that, Silly. That is why we decided years ago not to waste a lot of time and energy judging other people. We didn't want stomachaches. It was easier to just assume that they had their reasons. ;-P (Sorry for speaking on our behalf, SuperRaizy. Feel free to correct me.)
7 comments:
I agree with you.
But keep in mind that in the very rare instance, physically restraining a child may be the only way to keep him safe. As a special ed teacher, I have learned that some children have such a severe inability to control their own actions that it is enormously difficult for their psrents to take them out in public. For those very few children who really can not be taught not to run away, a leash may be an unfortunate necessity.
A different viewpoint, Jack: Some people with very active children love them at least as much as they love their dogs. It finally worked for us to smack the Stunt Man upside the head and say, "You see those big cars? They can KILL you!" (He lectured everyone for weeks using these two sentences out of his two-year-old mouth. It was funny coming from such a little golden-curled kid.) But if he hadn't "gotten it," if he had kept running out into the street during our walks, I would have considered a leash preferable to a little tiny coffin.
Raizy and Ruti,
As a father it is easy for me to attest to the fact that children have their own personalities and individual needs.
I haven't any problem acknowledging that some of those needs call for special arrangements.
But I know of parents who have defaulted for the leash because they think it is easier. I have a problem with that.
Parenting is not something that you do out of convenience. We all face situations in which our children force us to do things that are inconvenient or uncomfortable.
Most children do not fall into the special needs category where they are incapable of controlling themselves.
WE know that, Silly. That is why we decided years ago not to waste a lot of time and energy judging other people. We didn't want stomachaches. It was easier to just assume that they had their reasons. ;-P (Sorry for speaking on our behalf, SuperRaizy. Feel free to correct me.)
WE know that, Silly. That is why we decided years ago not to waste a lot of time and energy judging others
You are a lot nicer than I am, or maybe I am just a wise Jewish man. ;) That is the beauty of the blog, I can use it to judge others. ;)
I just pet their heads and bark.
I just pet their heads and bark.
Too much time in Bloomington, huh.
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