The Joys of Apolitical Children
The title of this piece may be a bit a of clue as to the subject matter involved, or perhaps not. The US political circus is, to me, just that, a spectacle designed to divert attention from bigger issues, such as children.
I love how children, as they grow and seek to understand the world they've been thrust into, so often see patterns adults have far too often forgotten. Whether it's a sense of conquering the world by learning how to walk, or a sense of linguistic mastery by haven't figured out how to tell an oblivious adult the urgent need to "go peepee in the potty" is both real and immediate, children have a way of hitting the reset button on what's important.
I realize what's important to a child, whether the infant seeking the comfort of a voice or the toddler whose anger is sparked by an inability to properly express outrage over the sun going down, may not seem urgent in a world filled with bigger issues. Yet, how we communicate with that child is vitally important, and ultimately more important than issues which seem critical today but will be forgotten within a year.
Too often the way we communicate with the very young shapes how those future adults will communicate with other adults. The Wife tells me at times how I may sound harsh, which prompts me to make greater efforts at patience. There is also non-verbal communication. The booboo of a scraped knee that might prompt some parents to rush a child to Urgent Care has me react with: "Okay, no broken bones, let's go clean that up." Yes, hugs and kisses are given when demanded, but I try to keep a sense of proportion.
How does child-rearing tie in with politics? If you watch how people react to campaigns as well as how they communicate their particular views, you can learn a lot about how communication was taught in different households. Which leads me back to the joys of apolitical children.
Children can be some of the most outrageous tyrants, fierce in their demands as they seek to instill order onto the chaos they perceive around them. Yet children can also be the most generous and inclusive egalitarians you'll ever hope to see. Maybe the way adults wage politics would be a bit less offensive if campaign tactics were inspired by the very young.
At any rate, I have a keyboard to pound out more story with, a tyrant's needs to attend to ( She wants stickers ), and about a million different tasks I need to take care of. Hopefully you'll forgive me while I go peel a wad of stickers off the floor, soothe ruffled feathers, and maybe (if I'm lucky) find the time to get a few more paragraphs in a novel finished.
I love how children, as they grow and seek to understand the world they've been thrust into, so often see patterns adults have far too often forgotten. Whether it's a sense of conquering the world by learning how to walk, or a sense of linguistic mastery by haven't figured out how to tell an oblivious adult the urgent need to "go peepee in the potty" is both real and immediate, children have a way of hitting the reset button on what's important.
I realize what's important to a child, whether the infant seeking the comfort of a voice or the toddler whose anger is sparked by an inability to properly express outrage over the sun going down, may not seem urgent in a world filled with bigger issues. Yet, how we communicate with that child is vitally important, and ultimately more important than issues which seem critical today but will be forgotten within a year.
Too often the way we communicate with the very young shapes how those future adults will communicate with other adults. The Wife tells me at times how I may sound harsh, which prompts me to make greater efforts at patience. There is also non-verbal communication. The booboo of a scraped knee that might prompt some parents to rush a child to Urgent Care has me react with: "Okay, no broken bones, let's go clean that up." Yes, hugs and kisses are given when demanded, but I try to keep a sense of proportion.
How does child-rearing tie in with politics? If you watch how people react to campaigns as well as how they communicate their particular views, you can learn a lot about how communication was taught in different households. Which leads me back to the joys of apolitical children.
Children can be some of the most outrageous tyrants, fierce in their demands as they seek to instill order onto the chaos they perceive around them. Yet children can also be the most generous and inclusive egalitarians you'll ever hope to see. Maybe the way adults wage politics would be a bit less offensive if campaign tactics were inspired by the very young.
At any rate, I have a keyboard to pound out more story with, a tyrant's needs to attend to ( She wants stickers ), and about a million different tasks I need to take care of. Hopefully you'll forgive me while I go peel a wad of stickers off the floor, soothe ruffled feathers, and maybe (if I'm lucky) find the time to get a few more paragraphs in a novel finished.
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