What is the magic age and who are the infamous "They" that get to make up the rules of age? Who gets to decide that you can have sex at this age, get married at that age, vote at this age, drink at that age? You get to be an adult at 21 – sometimes at 18 depending on what it is you want to do. Why don’t "They" come up with an age between 21 and 18 to encompass all adult rules? You can start school at 6 and should be reading before your 7 (there is an exception for boys who play sports). Who says a 16 year-old is ready to drive responsibly in traffic after taking a fifteen-minute driving test? And why do people go along with these "rules of age" as if they were set in stone and made perfect sense?
Yesterday I encountered an "age rule" that sent me over the edge while trying to join the Simmons Center (gym/fitness center) under the corporate family plan. At first the SC said that parents and their children living at home could join for a certain rate. Then the lady added, "Well, your children have to be 22 or younger and living at home." Being honest, I explained that Jesse was 23 and living at home. I asked if they could make an exception since I did not have several kids in my family; only one, and she was still living at home. This is what the lady said next, "Well, ‘They’ made these rules thinking that most people would be out of school and living on their own by 23." Hmm, if 23 is the magic age, maybe I should kick her out. "They" should know best (whoever the heck "they" are).
I really hate it when someone tells me what I should do with my child. No matter what her age, she is still mine. I understand that there needs to be rules and laws, but I am not so sure they should be set in stone. I want people to think outside the box – to realize that not all of us are the same. This is truly a bigger problem than you realize. It effects society in all sorts of ways. Parents have given up their right to make decisions for their own children. My cousin from another state told me that they have curfew laws saying that her 16 year-old cannot drive after a certain time. Really! Why? If your kid is being responsible and obedient to you, why should the government make this decision for you? Why can’t parents make that decision? Some parents cannot control their kids, so a law is passed controlling the rest of us. I could really rant on this one. Can you tell that this silly little incident really set me off? I will stop because I am beginning to sound like Andy Rooney.
By the way, I really like my kids. God gave them to me and my husband to protect and raise for Him. Jesse will probably live with us until someone comes along that can love and protect her as well as Toby and I can. If that is being over-protective and does not meat the "norm" - too bad!
1 comment:
It all started with those stupid growth charts they fill out at the dr's office and tell you if your child is doing well...growing correctly...my son wasn't every even on the chart by his measurements...he's now 5'10' and weighs 190 and looks like his dad....I say do the job that the Lord has asked you to do...raise your kids and to heck with everyone else...I live in that state where the 16 year can't drive after a certian time...I told my kids if you get caught calll me on your cell phone and I be right there...but of course I knew where my kids were to begin with. My 22 year old still lives at home...the goal is to finish school and be the person the Lord has called him to be....ain't NO BODY gonna get in the way of doing that...the funny things about life is that in my job guess who is in charge of ordering the pedi growth charts????...Medical Arts Press comes in a pack of 100 in pink and blue...Isn't life great???
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