The Epidemic

This book is both disturbing and reassuring...perhaps depending on your own family dynamics. I have seen children who disturb me with their behavior, parents who don't discipline or seem to expect much, parents who don't do things with their kids other than ferry them from place to place. I hear stories from my own kids that bother me and have been relieved so far that the friends that concern me seem to fall by the wayside without me having to say too much at this point. And I've seen behaviors in my own kids that I don't like. And that generally happens when I've decided to "let up" on a few things, to go with the flow of society. I've cut TV off for a year now and then and have always been pleased with the results. But where I live, that means NO tv. If you don't have cable, you've got no reception. For now, I have it on but limit viewing pretty well.

The reassuring part, for me, is that what he says "works" is mainly what I do, although I am not perfectly consistent. It gives me encouragement to keep along my path, which feels right, to not be afraid to be firm and follow my principles against the seeming flow of society. Yet, when I talk to friends they feel the same way, although I see some people I really like not following through the way they know they should with things. We're all working, overextended, trying to provide for our kids. Yet our time and attention is worth more than things, vacations, toys, sports. We need to find the right balance.

But people like us are not making the tv shows, the advertisements, the movies... Just limiting the exposure is a great first step. And making the decision to perhaps work a little less, earn a little less, spend a bit more time, communicate better...

If you are a parent, or are taking care of children, read this book!