Concerning our President

Once again, I am delving into the realm of the taboo.  Politics.  My cousin, Erin, brought this to my attention last night, (I don't watch the news lately, I put the kids to bed and then cry while I try to re-assemble my house, and then I waste time blogging, and then I crawl in bed and die), and then I saw it brought up again on Facebook by Marcy.

Let's all start this lecture by watching this video on you tube.

Done?  Okay.  My opinion.

1.  A good deal of the pledges these people claim to be making are admirable.  Good for them, if they really are doing them.  But if they consider me to be a poor citizen of the United States of America because I teach my kids to flush the toilet after they "do a single", as the gentleman put it, then I will just have to live with that label, because I don't care for the smell of urine.

2.  I do not need Hollywood actors or professional athletes to tell me how to be a good, responsible citizen.  I do think that most celebrities could take a lesson from the general public on how to be resourceful and charitable, and how to conduct their lives in a moral and responsible fashion.

3.  I will not pledge to be a "servant to" or even "of service to" any PRESIDENT.  I will pledge to be OF SERVICE TO my COUNTRY.  Any president who's aims and values coincide with what is best for our country will also be served by my patriotism.  Patriotism is not support of or loyalty to one man, but to one nation.  If we have an honorable president, then the two become one and the same.  People pledged loyalty to a man called Hitler, and look where it got them.  (That was not a comparison of Obama to Hitler, but make of it what you will.)

And now on to President Obama's upcoming address to the children of our country.  Here's a link  if you need to be brought up to speed.

I do not know what, exactly, President Obama plans to say to our children.  My immediate reaction is to scream NO!! and then wonder what kind of subliminal messages will be hidden in his speech.  This can be looked at as either paranoia or intuition.  Whatever you like.  I simply wish that we parents could hear this address before it is presented to our impressionable youth.  Obama, is after all, a politician, and they all have an agenda which usually involves re-election.  (Some of you may recognize my thoughts from reading my comment on Marcy's Facebook Status where I pretended to be Andrew, and then was chewed out by my husband for doing it.  And rightly so.)

I don't imagine that my kids have the attention span to listen to Obama's entire speech, which we are told will last for 15 to 20 minutes.  I would hope that no political ideas or pleas will be subtly placed on the table for my kids to partake of.  I would hope that his address will be exactly what it is being billed as: encouragement.  If it is, then ultimately, I can't see it making much difference anyway.  Kindergarten through fourth grades will be asleep or zoned out within thirty seconds, 5th through 8th grade will possibly be inspired for a day or two, but their lives are focused in the now - sports, TV, chores, friends and making fun of the lunch lady's hair net and jiggly arms - not in the future that seems a lifetime away to them.  The high school crowd may or may not heed his words, but I would guess that that will largely depend on whether their parents are Democrats or Republicans and whether or not they like their parents.  Kids that age should be mature enough to think for themselves and decide if they agree with our President or not.  We'll see.

I am trying my hardest to not see deception in this issue, and have decided that the best thing FOR ME AND MY KIDS is to use this as a teaching opportunity.  I believe there are two options.

First, you can keep your kids out of school while the address is made, or let them participate in any alternate activities that are being offered.  You have every right to do so.  If I were to choose this option, I would make sure to discuss my decision with my children.  Kids are smart.

Or, (and this will be my choice), you can keep your kids in school, but be there to watch the address with them, or watch it from home.  Parent's should know what is being presented to their children.  If you agree with any part of President Obama's message then talk about it, reinforce it at home.

If you disagree with any part of Obama's message, then talk to your kids about it, correct what needs to be corrected.  It is an opportunity to teach your children.

Finally, I want my children to have respect for the Office of President.  Respect for the office does not mean that we have to support things that we disagree with.  It does not mean that we have to like the man, (or woman), sitting behind the desk.  Respect for the Office means that people stand when the president enters a room.  It means that we should do anything we can to support the President in the cases that we believe he is doing the right thing.  It means understanding that because all people have the right to believe what they will, you can't please everyone.  It means knowing that being President is a hard job.  It means that you have a responsibility to vote.

I want my children to grow into responsible, informed adults.  I want them to be able to decide for themselves what is right.  I want them to feel confident in standing up for what they believe in.  I want them to know that they do not have to agree with everything that an elected official says, but they won't know what or who they believe if they don't listen.  My job as a parent is, first, to protect them, but also to help them interpret, understand and then help them to do the right thing.

Thoughts?