I've had a tough couple of weeks. I won't go into the details, but let's just say that my sphere of influence over kiddo 900 miles away has...ummm...been shrinking. Legally.
I am of the opinion that it's easier to raise a liberal child when you see and interact with them on a daily basis. But I see no reason why I, who only sees my child four or five (sometimes six) times a year can't do the same things.
So based on today's epiphany, here are some lesson for you parents out there:
1. Take your child to places they wouldn't normally see.
I ride a bus that traverses some of the poorest parts of my city. I see homeless people camped out on park lawns, and young runaways sleeping in doorways. My child needs to see that there are people....for a number of reasons...that are less fortunate than we are.
2. Give your child the cash to do the grocery shopping. Make it a finite dollar amount, and have them add up the bill.
I read this one on another website for noncustodial moms. It applies universally. Teaching your children the value of money in terms of the food they eat and showing them what's left out of the budget shows them that toys and games are fortunate gifts, not things to be expected.
3. Teach your child to recycle.
Where I come from, we have a great big bin for recylables, and a little tiny one for garbage. I reward my child for keeping the little one as empty as possible.
4. Teach your child about responsibility.
This is my favorite. My child hates doing homework, even though it's a responsibility. The kid would rather play. I "get lazy", not wanting to make a meal, saying that I'd rather surf the Internet/watch TV/ etc. Kid complains of hunger, and I complain that I don't want to cook. Oh, I don't let it go that long...I would never let my child cry over being hungry or anything. It's just that the kid learns very quickly that being responsible not only means meeting your own needs or requirements, but those of others, too.
5. Teach your child to feel.
Schools these days are all about NCLB and standardized test scores. They fail to consider that kids are, after all, kids. My child has the freedom to yell, scream, sing, dance, be angry, be sad, and be happy whenever it's needed. Kiddo just knows that other people's feelings can't be hurt and that there are those he can trust to confide in safely.
I dunno...those sound like lib values to me. Anything to add?