Joyful Living
To protect or prepare?
I was searching for something else (online clothing stores) yesterday when I happened upon a little website called "Miss Bimbo" at www.missbimbo.com. You may have heard of it? This is a virtual strategy game targeted at girls between the ages of 7 and 18. This game was first introduced in France and then it was translated to English and it has become very popular in the rest of Europe and now here in the U.S.A. too.
The idea behind this game is that the girls will strategically pick their clothes, hair, and accessories to attract and acquire a virtual "sugar daddy." This virtual man will then give her "Bimbo bucks" to buy lingerie, plastic surgery (including certain female parts), and diet pills. The goal is to become the ultimate bimbo.
At first, I was disgusted and angry, but then I noticed that a lot of other people were angry too and I thought, "why?" Satan is out there and he has a strong grip on the media. We see his influence in movies, tv shows, the internet, radio, and now games too. I don't think we will be able to change that, but we can prepare the children to fight it.
In my opinion, computers do not belong in children's bedrooms unless they are used for schoolwork/computer games only and NOT connected to the internet. Computers connected to the internet should be kept in high traffic areas of the house, so that parents can keep an eye on what their kids are doing online. Kids should be instructed on what is appropriate and not. My thinking is that we can keep the kids off of these websites ourselves. If kids never go, the companies lose money and may shut down.
I don't have any children, but I was not too long ago one myself (I'm in my mid 20's). The internet was becoming increasingly popular when I was in elementary school and was pretty mainstream by the time I was finishing Middle school. Everyone had an email address by the time I was entering high school. My parents kept our family computer in the kitchen and taught me about internet safety and what was deemed appropriate.
My point is, that getting angry at the companies who produce this garbage isn't necessarily going to do a thing. We may get that one website to shut down, sure, but where does it end? More are going to pop up in its place. New evils are going to arise as well. Society is going to only get worse and I think we need to prepare the children for it. Preparing children for these evils begins at home. We teach, instruct, and set rules for them. Then they can make the correct choices in all aspects of life, not just on the internet.
What I want to be when I grow up
For many years I've been asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. If you asked me that question when I was 4, I would have told you a garbage collector. I thought it was so cool that they got to jump off the truck and then after throwing the trash into the back, they got to jump back on and stand on this neat little step in the back.... without a seatbelt! How neat!If you asked me this question when I was 6, I would have told you school bus driver. I marvelled at the thought of having my own bus with awesome little cubby holes to put stuff in by the seat... a child's dream!
If you asked me when I was 10, I would have told you architect. My dream of being an architect followed me all the way through adolescence and into my early 20's. The plan was that I would go to school, get my masters and my husband would stay home with the kids. He was happy. I was happy. Our future kids would probably be happy. But then I changed my mind.
When I got to be around age 22 or so, I decided that I didn't want to be an architect. I didn't want to be a doctor, a lawyer, or even a grocery clerk. I wanted to be a mom. I told this to my husband and he was ecstatic. He liked the idea of staying home with the kids himself, but he liked the idea of me doing it even more. I'm a nurturer by nature and he thinks I'll make a great mom. I admit, I agree.
There was one more thing I wanted before I donned my apron and sensible shoes. I wanted an education. I enrolled in college and have made my way through 3 1/2 glorious years of higher learning. My parents, my husband, and my inlaws are all happy with my decision. What I don't understand though, is the reaction I get from other people about my decision.
"You want to spend your life knee-deep in diapers and snotty noses?" they ask. "Why would you throw away all that money and time you invested in your education? It's a waste!" they say... Is it so terrible to be a mother these days? Is it wrong to want to spend time with my children and make sure the face they see the most of is mine and not a baby sitter's?
It infuriates me to think that a life spent raising children is a life wasted. An education is wasted if the educated person teaches his or her children instead of using the knowledge in the workforce. It makes me so mad to think that some women believe they are above snotty noses, diapers, 2am feedings, and laundry. I by no means think it's wrong for women to work outside the house. Remember, I wanted to do that very thing. I just despise people who tell me I'm wrong and wasting my life for wanting to stay at home. I know that this is something I want to do.
I am excited to have children. I can't wait until my breasts are sore, cracked, and bleeding from breastfeeding. I look forward to those feedings at midnight, 2am, 4am, and 6am. I wish I were "knee-deep" in diapers and toys right now. I will relish those times when I have to clean up vomit from my sick child and accidents from my potty training child. Why? Because it means I am a mother.
It means I will also be there when my child looks into my eyes as I feed him. It means I will be there when she takes her first steps, draws her first circle and ties her shoes for the first time. I will be there to dry his tears when he flushes his favorite action figure down the toilet. I will be there when she gives me a hug and tells me she loves me before I turn out the light at night. I will also be there when he tells me about his new friend who lives in the closet that only he can see. I will be there for them. I will teach them everything I know from my "wasted" education. I will be their mom.
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| VIOLET |
You surround yourself with art and music and are constantly driven to express yourself. You often daydream. You prefer honesty in your relationships and believe strongly in your personal morals.
Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!
| The Road Trip of Your Life |
 You live life at a fairly leisurely pace. You take time to enjoy the sweeter parts of life, even when you're busy. You don't like a lot of risk or randomness in your life. You prefer to stick with what's known, even if it's a bit boring. You tend to be a workaholic. You overwork yourself without ever realizing it and sometimes suffer the consequences later. In another life, you could have been a great novelist. You have a knack for describing things in an interesting way. |
| You Are a Strawberry |
 You are popular, but there's nothing you ordinary or average about you. You a very interesting person, and you have many facets to your personality. Sometimes you feel very conflicted. Your different sides of your personality pull at you. You are a very sensual and passionate person. You are fiery... you can't help it. In general, you keep your passionate side under wraps. You are only wild in private. |
| What Your Fridge Says About You |
 You tend to be a fairly thrifty person. You splurge occasionally, but you're mostly a saver. You don't tend to be a very adventurous person, but you do surprise everyone now and then. You have a bit of a wild side. You are responsible, together, and mature. You act like an adult, even when you don't feel like it. You are likely to be married - and very busy. |
| Your Thinking is Concrete and Sequential |
 You tend to get to the point and get things done. Difficult, detailed work is easy for you. You take things step by step. Time limits aren't a problem for you either. You work well with deadlines. What does drive you crazy is any sort of task that isn't precisely laid out. You don't like anything to be ambiguous. You prefer to deal with the facts at hand. |