Oh, I definitely think that if taken too far it could go nutso and screw everyone up. I just thought it was an interesting article, and that it was nice to see a community that was looking forward for *all* its citizens, not just the white upper/middle-class. I found that in TX there were some families that really pushed their children to make a better life than their parents had had, and some that didn't have that as a priority at all. I feel like I was incredibly fortunate to have parents that always pushed me to fulfill my potential, and that all of my successful/actively seeking success (and happy) friends did, too. I think that in some ways the government has a responsibility to step in and give their say in some matters--like fast food. In all reality, some parents do not do a good job of helping their kids eat healthy, and there are probably a lot of factors to blame for that, but child obesity is at an all-time high and can mainly be blamed on the fast food industry. And the parents who buy it for the kids. The government can't step in and force parents not to buy the food--but I think they have a responsibility to recognize that it's an easy, convenient thing that a lot of parents will take advantage of too often...and so I think that there should be some regulation of marketing to children and the content of the snacks and food that sell primarily to obesity-struck child demographics. Using the food thing as an example, I think that it's important that people in positions of authority over children always make them aware of their own potential. Parents included. And I think in some things --like education, underage drinking, drugs, eating right-- the government does need to put forth a positive, encouraging perspective. I guess that's a good word--encourage. They should never force, never mandate choice. But they should encourage and educate so that when the child is no longer a child they have all the tools to make the best, most informed decision possible. It might be really hard to come from an immigrant family that lived in complete poverty and have them tell you that working in a meat plant is so good you shouldn't bother with school. It might be just fine. I think there's a reason that lower education is required--but upper level education, which is largely voluntary, could be really easy to skip out on because you didn't know any better, and really hard to pick back up later on in life, if you ever decided to.
I just thought it was an interesting article, and that it was nice to see a community that was looking forward for *all* its citizens, not just the white upper/middle-class. I found that in TX there were some families that really pushed their children to make a better life than their parents had had, and some that didn't have that as a priority at all. I feel like I was incredibly fortunate to have parents that always pushed me to fulfill my potential, and that all of my successful/actively seeking success (and happy) friends did, too.
I think that in some ways the government has a responsibility to step in and give their say in some matters--like fast food. In all reality, some parents do not do a good job of helping their kids eat healthy, and there are probably a lot of factors to blame for that, but child obesity is at an all-time high and can mainly be blamed on the fast food industry. And the parents who buy it for the kids.
The government can't step in and force parents not to buy the food--but I think they have a responsibility to recognize that it's an easy, convenient thing that a lot of parents will take advantage of too often...and so I think that there should be some regulation of marketing to children and the content of the snacks and food that sell primarily to obesity-struck child demographics.
Using the food thing as an example, I think that it's important that people in positions of authority over children always make them aware of their own potential. Parents included. And I think in some things --like education, underage drinking, drugs, eating right-- the government does need to put forth a positive, encouraging perspective.
I guess that's a good word--encourage. They should never force, never mandate choice. But they should encourage and educate so that when the child is no longer a child they have all the tools to make the best, most informed decision possible.
It might be really hard to come from an immigrant family that lived in complete poverty and have them tell you that working in a meat plant is so good you shouldn't bother with school. It might be just fine. I think there's a reason that lower education is required--but upper level education, which is largely voluntary, could be really easy to skip out on because you didn't know any better, and really hard to pick back up later on in life, if you ever decided to.
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