Race To Nowhere

After reading an online article titled "The Enrichment Black Hole" I came across information about a documentary that is about to be released nationwide and thought it was quite intriguing, called
Race To Nowhere. The premise is that kids in the States are over scheduled, under too much pressure to achieve at young ages so they will succeed later in life, and how kids don't get time to simply create, play, and grow into adulthood anymore. I can't wait for local screenings to become available or for Netflix to carry it.

Check out the trailer at http://www.racetonowhere.com/node/4494.

I'll also be interested to see how this documentary either supports or conflicts with my recent insight on parenting from the book titled Rite of Passage Parenting. The book promotes raising kids with clear-cut rites of passage at various stages of childhood so they are taught responsibility for their actions, while preparing them for the REAL reality of adulthood, basic coping skills, and self-sufficiency. The rite of passage theory is to give children a clear line between childhood and adulthood.

As I type this in an electronic journal I think of how much our society has changed in recent decades; especially how we communicate. We don't hand write letters. We rarely pick up the phone and have hour-long chats with family or friends. And we rarely have deep, meaningful conversations with friends and family during face-to-face visits. We type an email or text a quick note. We've lost the art of communication and I am just as guilty as anyone else. It's easier for me to write or type my feelings than speak them, most often. My thoughts seem to come out better when I have the opportunity to use the Delete button when necessary. Delete button doesn't work in normal conversation. Ha!

I have the joy of saying I live in Oklahoma - and, yes, I am serious. I love it here (other than during tornado season). This is home. But when we moved here almost six years ago, I quickly learned one very important difference between Texans and Okies. Here we have the "art of the visit" as my husband calls it. In Oklahoma you can quickly find yourself in a ten minute conversation or "visit" with the cashier at the grocery store. My in-laws and my husband's Aunt have an amazing knack for learning the life story of their waitress over lunch. My father-in-law has even been known to learn more about someone he visits with at a rest stop simply by complimenting their pet dog than I can tell you about some of my own extended family. This amazes me! And I admire it. When Mark's entire family gets together I learn all kinds of interesting things about them. They tell stories. They share family history. It's intriguing (maybe because I haven't heard all the stories a hundred times like Mark has) and it's real.

On another note, I find it interesting how many main-stream, conservative families are now choosing home schooling as the best option for their children. Maybe our US society is so far off balance in the area of education and properly equipping children with necessary life-skills, that a more relaxed and creative environment for study is a better option for many.

So I guess my ultimate point is, as parents of children of any age we need to stop and ask ourselves (as often as possible) if what we are doing either in our own household or as a nation, is right for our children. If there are gaps between what is right and wrong for our kids, we need to recognize that and do something about it.

One truth remains fresh in my mind from day to day - when God blesses us with children we only get one chance to raise them. If I have ever wanted desperately to succeed at a job, it's while I'm working as "mom" with Him as my boss.