What Dad thought

My dad was a pretty strict guy, he thought that kids should be seen rather than heard. And though I don't have children of my own, I seem to think along those lines as well.
And so, upon being in the presence of many youngsters today, I hear a lot of kids rather than seeing them only. They scream, loudly. They make all sorts of noise that is not always pleasant upon my ears. Yet, I know kids today do not have the rules that I had as a child. At dinner, if we sat at the table, and we mostly did, the only time we were allowed to talk, was if my father or my mother asked a question. Only then, could we speak. Harsh? Maybe so. But, it taught me, that I was to be quiet during times I wanted to be noisy. It taught me to repect wishes of others, even if I protested silently within my heart.

So, do I think that kids should not be allowed to speak at dinner time? No, I believe in hearty discussion at the dinner table. I love to hear my niece's talk about all that is going on in their lives when we get to eat together.

Do I think that kids should have rules? Most certainly. Yet, I don't think parents today understand their roles well enough to carry them out. They are not consistant with their kids, they don't have the concern that when they punish their kids they should be there to ensure that that punishment is carried out.

Simple rules make life bearable:

1. What you open, close.
2. What you borrow, put it back.
3. Everything has a place, not just where you lay it down.
4. Respect things that are not yours, and others will repect your things as well.
5. Make your bed everyday, it makes your room look neat, even if it isn't. Amazing concept.
6. Clean up after yourself, if you make a mess, don't leave it for someone else.
7. Keep in mind, you are not the only person who lives in your home, life doesn't revolve around you.

Being mindful of simple yet, respectful rules can make all homes happy homes.
Or at least I think so. And that is why I created this blog. I hope you enjoy it.

I feel though that the repression of speech from my dad made me repress other things as well. Though I learned lessons from his no talking at the dinner table, I was also dejected as well. I didn't learn to communicate verbally very well. Though I loved to talk, I was very shy with people I didn't know. I don't blame my dad really, but he didn't help me by requesting that we not speak during dinner. I learned at a early age to repress feelings, and it has taken a long hard road to reverse it. I still to this day, would rather write, Ha , than talk. Which brings me to another subject some other time.. Text Messaging. Oh the joys.
Until then,
Take care.