Children: A Discourse and Plea

When I was in college, I took a class in educational philosophy. We read some stuff by a bunch of people who are now long dead and whose names I no longer remember, but I do remember that there were two guys who had opposing views of human nature. One guy said that human beings are inherently evil and can be made good by outside influences, or not. The other guy said that people are inherently good and can be made evil by outside influences, or not. I agree with the second guy.

I earn a living by working daily with children who belong to other people. Every Sunday I sing songs with other people's kids. For a person who has no kids of her own, I spend a LOT of time with kids. I've learned some very important do's and don't's to keep in mind for when I become a parent. Perhaps the most important lesson, however, is this: kids are inherently good. I have a boy in my class who makes me little folded paper stuff on almost a daily basis. I read letters to family members and friends expressing love and gratitude for what they do.

I love all the children I work with. I especially love singing with the kids at church. There's something special about singing with children. When you sing, you share a very personal part of yourself and I get to do that with these darling children at church and I feel like I know those children so much better now than I did before. I even do a lot of singing with my class at school (about math and Utah and science and stuff). I love kids and I'm so excited to have my own someday (even when I see a kid throwing a tantrum in the grocery store I am not deterred).

With my growing love for children I'm developing an increasing disdain for adults who mess with them. As a teacher I've worked with kids in all kinds of situations with all kinds of parents. Mothers who do not properly take care of themselves while they are pregnant, fathers who leave, parents who divorce (unless there's abuse or addiction divorce ALWAYS messes up the kids who are caught in the middle), teen mothers who are more interested in being a friend than a parent, parents who feel guilty for leaving their kids at a day care center all day and so spoil them with every imaginable toy or video game. I can tell which kids get the kind of love and attention from their parents they need and which ones don't. There's a difference in their self confidence, their social skills, their need for my attention, their ability do work independently, their willingness to accept responsibility for their actions, their individual integrity, their overall health, their happiness and their attitude toward school.

I realize that I'm kind of preaching to the choir here, but I want you parents to know that the time you spend teaching, playing with and loving your children does make a difference! I am convinced that children just need your time and love. By loving them you teach them how to love and they will love you back with a pure, unconditional love. Maybe I sound a little naive to you. I don't think I'm wrong, but will you please remind me of this post when I'm the one in the grocery store with the kid throwing the tantrum?? ;)

Even though I believe kids are inherently good, they are swayed by the influences they spend the most time with whether that be loving parents or the TV. There are so many bad things in the world that teach young people to hate, hurt and rebel. Unless we encourage them to listen to the good that's inside them, it will be snuffed out by all the bad around them.