Parents
I realized something pretty big today, or over the course of the weekend.
I had taken my "nephews" who are of no blood relation to me with me to visit my folks in Toronto. These are 2 kids who lack any kind of stimulation at home, they are not loved and revered the way children are supposed to be by their parent(s), they are verbally abused on an ongoing basis and the want for so many things. Colin who is 11 reads at a grade 1 level, John who is 10 reads slightly better at a grade 2 level. They walk around in clothing that is stained, dirty and ill fitting. They want for so many things and yet never really ask for them. Their mother is a selfish beast of a human being, who I am ashamed to call my friend sometimes. She spends all her money on crap for herself while the boys go without. Over the years people have taken to these children and instead of watching them go hungry, and with out shoes, or life experiences they step up and provide for them. So their mother has come to just expect this "kindness of others." Example: the three of us went to camp in Seattle last year, when we got there our West Coast Mama (as we call her) Joyce took one look at them and rushed them to Target to re-outfit them with proper shoes and clothing. So I think you get the idea yes?
So we're in Toronto this weekend and my father and I have a conversation over the bbq about childhood. He confirms my stories of how these 2 kids exhaust you, not because they are bad, or poorly behaved, but because they want for your attention, praise, and approval so much. Then he and I started talking about my childhood and how for me, I wasn't like that because it was an understood that the love, understanding, and attention was always going to be there, it was Unconditional. I could go and entertain myself with the knowledge that when I returned they would be there to listen to me, and interact with me, and provide for me, and love me. Throughout my childhood I read several grades above average for my age. I went to kindergarten reading....the reason? I can scarcely remember a night when my father or mother didn't come and sit with me and read to me, or sit and listen while I hacked and gacked my way through learning all the different sounds and putting them together. There's no way these kids have been read to once, unless its by someone else.
I don't want to come off sounding all self-righteous or anything here, but I realized just how amazing my parents were. No one is perfect, but I think that these 2 came mighty close.
I am pretty exhausted. Its been a long weekend. I am going to bed.
-Benny
I had taken my "nephews" who are of no blood relation to me with me to visit my folks in Toronto. These are 2 kids who lack any kind of stimulation at home, they are not loved and revered the way children are supposed to be by their parent(s), they are verbally abused on an ongoing basis and the want for so many things. Colin who is 11 reads at a grade 1 level, John who is 10 reads slightly better at a grade 2 level. They walk around in clothing that is stained, dirty and ill fitting. They want for so many things and yet never really ask for them. Their mother is a selfish beast of a human being, who I am ashamed to call my friend sometimes. She spends all her money on crap for herself while the boys go without. Over the years people have taken to these children and instead of watching them go hungry, and with out shoes, or life experiences they step up and provide for them. So their mother has come to just expect this "kindness of others." Example: the three of us went to camp in Seattle last year, when we got there our West Coast Mama (as we call her) Joyce took one look at them and rushed them to Target to re-outfit them with proper shoes and clothing. So I think you get the idea yes?
So we're in Toronto this weekend and my father and I have a conversation over the bbq about childhood. He confirms my stories of how these 2 kids exhaust you, not because they are bad, or poorly behaved, but because they want for your attention, praise, and approval so much. Then he and I started talking about my childhood and how for me, I wasn't like that because it was an understood that the love, understanding, and attention was always going to be there, it was Unconditional. I could go and entertain myself with the knowledge that when I returned they would be there to listen to me, and interact with me, and provide for me, and love me. Throughout my childhood I read several grades above average for my age. I went to kindergarten reading....the reason? I can scarcely remember a night when my father or mother didn't come and sit with me and read to me, or sit and listen while I hacked and gacked my way through learning all the different sounds and putting them together. There's no way these kids have been read to once, unless its by someone else.
I don't want to come off sounding all self-righteous or anything here, but I realized just how amazing my parents were. No one is perfect, but I think that these 2 came mighty close.
I am pretty exhausted. Its been a long weekend. I am going to bed.
-Benny