Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Following The Leader


I remember when I was a child - one of the most fun games to play was follow the leader.... One child would run, hop, skip... clapping their hands - flapping their arms.... or some other silly motion... and several children would follow and imitate... We were encouraged to play this game.... at school... at Sunday school... in our own backyards.. at friends' homes It was a game that we all took turns being the leader and everyone had a good time...

As the years go by and the teenage years approach - there is a new follow the leader game... it's not much fun - there is usually a couple of leaders... and not everyone takes a turn.... Instead of running around with your hands in the air and with joyous smiles.... you will see teens doing things that are not encouraged by the schools... Sunday school....any backyard... but may be encouraged at a "friend's" home...

I thought in my naivety that sending my children to a Christian school would shelter them from the world.... Shelter them from a world where young girls get drunk.... have sex... do drugs.... I thought in my naivety that families who have their children go to a Christian school would live their lives as (in my mind) Christians do.... Have higher morals geared towards raising our children in way that is respectful.... in a way that is honest... in a way that wants to do right.....

It is very discouraging to me when my kid thinks the sneaky kids are cool... They are the leaders... and what also is sad to me is that these kids are the popular ones.... They are the ones whose parents allow them to hang out in front of 7-11 asking strangers for money... they are the ones whose parent drops them off at a youth group event to only sneak across the street to make out.... get high.... get drunk.... I'm wondering why....how these parents don't realize that their 13 year old child sitting next to them is stoned.... reeking of smoke... reeking of booze..

I am thankful that both of my girls want to do the right thing... I know that the other kids look glamorous to them... but I also know that God is working in my girls.... I am hoping that my kids will be the example the "popular" girls need to see... A kid who is comfortable in her own skin.... who has a love for life without artificial enhancers.. I am blessed to be the mother to two incredible young ladies. Two young ladies that every so often give me a glimpse of the encouraging and beautiful women they will be..... The leaders that will be a blessing to others.

10 comments:

  1. Hey there! I worry about this (we go to public school) and it scares me. I try to stay on top of the kids as it sounds like you do. Too many parents tune out because they do not want to be inconvenienced.

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  2. Too comon a problem all over the world. You can only keep praying and keep talking to your children as they grow up and hope that they see the path.
    They say that Roots and wings are the essential gifts that parents must give to their kids, roots (the knowledge of right and wrong, the role model to follow and the bible as a guide.)
    Wings (the freedom to journey into life and find their path, safe in the knowledge that the roots you gave them will guide them on their journey)

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  3. My daughter goes to an exclusive private school where there's no opportunity to sneak off and do her own thing. She's also not naive to the behaviors you describe. Did I mention, we home school? :) Aren't I the stinker though. :)

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  4. And in the end, your daughters will be bright and successful and the "popular" girls will have lost Christ in their hearts and head down a dark path with Satan. And you're not naive... you're expecting the very thing that should be expected of putting your girls in private school. However, "expectation that's not followed by action is not expectation... it's just hoping; and hoping has never achieved very much."
    Stay strong in your faith and morals, and pray for those other ladies. I wish you the best of luck!

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  5. I can look back, since my kids have children of their own, now. We did the Christian school for a while and that is when we encountered the most problems. When we reentered public school my children did much better. I think that maybe we forget that any group, Christian based or not, will present challenges to deal with and there is no escaping that period of child rearing where you wonder if you are doig it right.

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  6. "...A kid who is comfortable in her own skin.... who has a love for life without artificial enhancers.."

    I love this phrase!!

    I always remind Firstborn his first priority at school is to be a light.

    Great post and glad I dropped by this particular day to read THIS particular post (smile).

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  7. The adolescent years are scary and challenging, aren't they? I was hiking with a friend today and the main topic of conversation was how to help her daughter deal with being bullied and ostracized. hard years for little girls. (she's 11).

    thanks for following my blog!

    take care!

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  8. I taught 6th grade for a long while there, and I came to the conclusion that in the end, it's not about the school you send them to, but the example that you set. And not just modelling good behaviour either. Raising kids who feel that they are loved and special goes a lot further in protecting them from the world than almost anything else you can do, and it sounds like you're doing just that. Great post!

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  9. I worry about my girls all the time. They are in public school, high school and middle school... I am blessed they are good girls and try to talk to me about most things.

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  10. I'm glad that I saw you 'following' me -- I'm following you now too, and I'll keep a close eye on your blog, as I think it'll give me a glimpse into my future. My girls are 6 and 3, and I already wonder what it'll be like when they get older. I pray that my girls will have their focus on God, and that I will in my parenting as well!

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