I cannot remember if it was the paper or a news show that first dropped this tidbit of information, but it would appear that the US Government wants to go after cash strapped farmers even farther by mandating that children can no longer work on farms. When the Industrial revolution took of and the first wave of child labor laws came out, it was understood that children of families who operated farms were still needed to help keep the farm operating. It would appear that the Government no longer feels this way as it is looking at taking children out of the "Farm life" so they can spend more time on "Farmville."
I can only attempt to believe that the Government has the nations best interest in mind with it's plan to end child labor on farms, but in the long run, it is children working on the farm that go on to take the farm from their parents. Allowing a child 14 years to be lazy and unaccustomed to how farm life really is will only set the farm up to fail with the influx of the new generation. It is often the children of the farmer who take over the farm and keep everything running as they know every nut, bolt, and crop on their property. They feel more responsible for the farm as they have worked it their entire life, and they show a greater amount of responsibility in general.
The other problem with removing the farmer's children from his workforce is the need to replace the missing bodies on the farm. Farms today are only producing at a meager profit because of tax cuts and subsidies provided by the government. Forcing the farms to hire more people would only take away from their meager profit and may cause the farm to operate at a loss. A loss in a farms production puts more stress on the shaky ground of having to produce food to feed everyone and will inevitably drive up costs for the consumer who is already struggling to get by as it is.
My solution would be to destroy any plan of reducing the farms labor force and even suggest that farms become places to teach outside children the amount of work required to supply a meal that they are ungrateful for. Too many people today have no idea what it takes to keep food in the supermarkets so they can keep food on the table. Personally, my wife and I have started building a large backyard garden that our children are equally responsible for the maintenance of and share in the rewards. The hope is that we will not only save ourselves some money by having fresh vegetables and herbs at home, but to show our children the amount of time and effort required to grow even the smallest amount of food. Its becoming all I can do to keep them from picking our under-developed strawberries before they are ready, and they are watching the tomatoes to see how much longer they are going to stay green.
Showing posts with label values. Show all posts
Showing posts with label values. Show all posts
Monday, May 7, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Equality should mean Equal
Equality is something that every minority strives for in the United States, but very few ever achieve. Even when the status of a people is considered "Equal," they often receive a limited equality where they have equal rights, but they are not treated equally.
As a good example of the above "limited equality," we can take a look at women in the United States. Women should be paid equally for the same jobs that men are typically paid more for. However, while wanting to be equal, some women will reject equality and play the "I am a woman" card when it comes to getting in trouble, or when it comes to going on a date. There is little to no areas where a man of any color can announce "I am a man so I deserve better," nor can he open his shirt a little in order to make things happen in his favor.
Another example comes starkly apparent when it comes to sports. Teenage sports is the biggest topic as gender mixed sports are becoming more apparent. It made the national news and inspired other girls to try out for Football when one teenage girl was pointed out as being a better kicker than the boys, and as such made the boys team as their kicker. After the initial story came out, at least three other stories launched where girls were trying out for, and making the boys football team. Fast forward six months, and the headlines show a single boy, smaller in size, strength, and weight than the majority of a girls Lacrosse league being kicked off the girls team because his scoring percentage was higher than any girl in the rest of the league. His advantage had nothing to do with size, weight, or strength, his only advantage was he had played Lacrosse since he was a young boy. His only advantage was experience, something any group of minority status people will tell you, should be a reason that they be treated equally and not be rejected.
Equality means to be regarded with the same "quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability." (Dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/equality). If this phrase works to the advantage of one, it must work to the advantage of everyone, regardless of their sex, size, intelligence, beliefs, and character.
In regards to the world as a whole, everyone is made of the same materials in varying amounts, the only difference is in how we look at each other. As a world of people, we should all be treated equally, held to the same regard, and suffer the same consequences. No one should be held above any other, nor should anyone have to want for something because it is being kept away from them by a certain few.
As a good example of the above "limited equality," we can take a look at women in the United States. Women should be paid equally for the same jobs that men are typically paid more for. However, while wanting to be equal, some women will reject equality and play the "I am a woman" card when it comes to getting in trouble, or when it comes to going on a date. There is little to no areas where a man of any color can announce "I am a man so I deserve better," nor can he open his shirt a little in order to make things happen in his favor.
Another example comes starkly apparent when it comes to sports. Teenage sports is the biggest topic as gender mixed sports are becoming more apparent. It made the national news and inspired other girls to try out for Football when one teenage girl was pointed out as being a better kicker than the boys, and as such made the boys team as their kicker. After the initial story came out, at least three other stories launched where girls were trying out for, and making the boys football team. Fast forward six months, and the headlines show a single boy, smaller in size, strength, and weight than the majority of a girls Lacrosse league being kicked off the girls team because his scoring percentage was higher than any girl in the rest of the league. His advantage had nothing to do with size, weight, or strength, his only advantage was he had played Lacrosse since he was a young boy. His only advantage was experience, something any group of minority status people will tell you, should be a reason that they be treated equally and not be rejected.
Equality means to be regarded with the same "quantity, degree, value, rank, or ability." (Dictionary.com, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/equality). If this phrase works to the advantage of one, it must work to the advantage of everyone, regardless of their sex, size, intelligence, beliefs, and character.
In regards to the world as a whole, everyone is made of the same materials in varying amounts, the only difference is in how we look at each other. As a world of people, we should all be treated equally, held to the same regard, and suffer the same consequences. No one should be held above any other, nor should anyone have to want for something because it is being kept away from them by a certain few.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Family Dynamics
Today's family will typically require both parents to work in order to scrape together enough money to maintain a lower-middle class status. This was the case with my wife and I up until my back injury. Were it not for my Veterans benefits, our family of 4 would be living with my wife's parents in their 2 bedroom house. As it is, we were lucky enough to find a good landlord, who just wanted good people to take care of the house we are currently renting. My wife works from a home office that is crammed in our bedroom answering phones for the local phone company. Her wages are just above average for the area. I am home to take care of the kids on the off days and after school, and we are considering home-schooling next year. We will cover education in a later blog.
We have found that what we can live with, and without, is far different than what we used to think when we both were working full time. For example, a package of food that we would eat in one meal, now can be stretched into two. Whereas my wife would refuse to eat left-overs before, now we have a leftover night at least twice a week.We have cut our portions of food to the "serving size" as well, which has allowed us to cut our food bill in half. When we both were working, $800.00 a month on food was typical for a month. Looking back on it now, I can only imagine how much we wasted. We have also cut out non-essentials like soda and sweet snacks from our shopping lists. Fast food has also become something of a "once in a while" food as compared to an "every time we are out" food. My wife and I have found the change easier than my children, who do not understand why we are not letting them have free range of the kitchen anymore.
For those of you curious, my twin 10 yr old boys are "bean poles" and want to eat everything that looks good in sight. My wife and I however, after decades of eating and drinking whatever we want, are now over-weight. It is our desire to slow our kids down to prevent the same from happening to them as we both started out skinny as well.
Television, computer, and video-games were once being used simultaneously and without limits. I have had to fight my kids (kicking and screaming), to cut back to computer only when they need it for school, video games have been reduced to half an hour or less a day, and the television is only used certain nights of the week and no more than two hours as needed if watching a movie.
Instead of the above dominating our lives, we have started a small potted garden that we all help maintain. As we can afford it, we buy a new plant. We spend time together playing board games on the evenings we do not have a show/movie to watch.
We have also done away with our cell phones and purchased a go phone for when we are away from the house. My wife and I both had smartphones with ATT and my kids had an emergency phone for when we would let them go somewhere. All together, our cell phone bill was close to $300 a month, today we pay less than $30 a month.
While my boys are still trying to transition into this new life we are creating, my wife and I have begun to settle in just fine. We have found that it has brought us all closer together as a family and the boys are looking to us now for entertainment. Both of my sons have shown a great interest in cooking, and after a couple of weeks of training, they now help cook dinner every night with little supervision. We take turns on different stations making a meat, a side, and a vegetable. The most important thing we have learned (most of us, my wife is still a bit hard headed :) ) is that there is much more to life than money and we are finding we are happier with less (except as just stated).
We have found that what we can live with, and without, is far different than what we used to think when we both were working full time. For example, a package of food that we would eat in one meal, now can be stretched into two. Whereas my wife would refuse to eat left-overs before, now we have a leftover night at least twice a week.We have cut our portions of food to the "serving size" as well, which has allowed us to cut our food bill in half. When we both were working, $800.00 a month on food was typical for a month. Looking back on it now, I can only imagine how much we wasted. We have also cut out non-essentials like soda and sweet snacks from our shopping lists. Fast food has also become something of a "once in a while" food as compared to an "every time we are out" food. My wife and I have found the change easier than my children, who do not understand why we are not letting them have free range of the kitchen anymore.
For those of you curious, my twin 10 yr old boys are "bean poles" and want to eat everything that looks good in sight. My wife and I however, after decades of eating and drinking whatever we want, are now over-weight. It is our desire to slow our kids down to prevent the same from happening to them as we both started out skinny as well.
Television, computer, and video-games were once being used simultaneously and without limits. I have had to fight my kids (kicking and screaming), to cut back to computer only when they need it for school, video games have been reduced to half an hour or less a day, and the television is only used certain nights of the week and no more than two hours as needed if watching a movie.
Instead of the above dominating our lives, we have started a small potted garden that we all help maintain. As we can afford it, we buy a new plant. We spend time together playing board games on the evenings we do not have a show/movie to watch.
We have also done away with our cell phones and purchased a go phone for when we are away from the house. My wife and I both had smartphones with ATT and my kids had an emergency phone for when we would let them go somewhere. All together, our cell phone bill was close to $300 a month, today we pay less than $30 a month.
While my boys are still trying to transition into this new life we are creating, my wife and I have begun to settle in just fine. We have found that it has brought us all closer together as a family and the boys are looking to us now for entertainment. Both of my sons have shown a great interest in cooking, and after a couple of weeks of training, they now help cook dinner every night with little supervision. We take turns on different stations making a meat, a side, and a vegetable. The most important thing we have learned (most of us, my wife is still a bit hard headed :) ) is that there is much more to life than money and we are finding we are happier with less (except as just stated).
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
No more
I look out at the world and I see problems everywhere. For us in the United States, our way of life is not good enough for us (us being a general term). For someone in a less-developed country, we are rich in everything but life. There is no point in placing blame anymore as to some degree we must all burden that responsibility. Most of my generation, and those who have come since, have been labeled the "entitled" generation. "I deserve to have a nice house, a nice boat, a nice car, etc..." For those of us who do not feel entitled, we feel that we, as a people, have been let down. We are quick to place blame with crooked politicians and growing consumerism, but where we should be looking is at our family values.
For me, as a child, there was no limit to the area I could go. There was no worry that I was going to be kidnapped, and no worry that I was going to get into trouble. I knew from the instant I left the house, if I acted up, or did something wrong, I was going to pay for it with a belt across my backside. Having a family member drag you to the bathroom was sure sign you were in trouble. When you came out of the restroom, there was no doubt on anyone's mind what had just happened. Today that does not happen. All it takes is one individual to make a call, and your whole family will be sitting in front of Child Protective Services. In the one instance that did happen to me, I met with the proper people and told them what was going on, told them the extent of the punishment that was given, and they told me that the case was closed as they felt that I acted within the confines of my rights as a parent.
Where this is all going is that, today, as a people, we are weak in our resolve to do anything for the fear of being told on. We fear the stories, the looks, the process. As a fairly young, but disabled man, I would fear the looks I would get for taking the electric shopping cart at the store when I appeared otherwise healthy. Im here today to say no more, and I am asking you to join me as well. No more should we fear what others think. No more should we interfere in the parenting of a child. It is too late for our generation to save ourselves, but by instilling the proper values and beliefs in our children, they may have a chance at effecting real change when it is there turn. Those values and beliefs can only come from you, and any change is hard, but we should no longer neglect our roles and responsibilities as parents and as Americans.
For me, as a child, there was no limit to the area I could go. There was no worry that I was going to be kidnapped, and no worry that I was going to get into trouble. I knew from the instant I left the house, if I acted up, or did something wrong, I was going to pay for it with a belt across my backside. Having a family member drag you to the bathroom was sure sign you were in trouble. When you came out of the restroom, there was no doubt on anyone's mind what had just happened. Today that does not happen. All it takes is one individual to make a call, and your whole family will be sitting in front of Child Protective Services. In the one instance that did happen to me, I met with the proper people and told them what was going on, told them the extent of the punishment that was given, and they told me that the case was closed as they felt that I acted within the confines of my rights as a parent.
Where this is all going is that, today, as a people, we are weak in our resolve to do anything for the fear of being told on. We fear the stories, the looks, the process. As a fairly young, but disabled man, I would fear the looks I would get for taking the electric shopping cart at the store when I appeared otherwise healthy. Im here today to say no more, and I am asking you to join me as well. No more should we fear what others think. No more should we interfere in the parenting of a child. It is too late for our generation to save ourselves, but by instilling the proper values and beliefs in our children, they may have a chance at effecting real change when it is there turn. Those values and beliefs can only come from you, and any change is hard, but we should no longer neglect our roles and responsibilities as parents and as Americans.
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