Dear Fellow Malibu Parents:
Do you know where your children are? And do you know what they are doing? This week our children have had the scare of one child who brought a gun to school with just one bullet in the chamber for his intended victim — and today, the threat of a bomb being planted in the school.
Do you know where your guns are and have you taught your children about their safety and their potential devastation? Do you know when your chidden go to a party if there are adults chaperoning? Is there going to be alcohol there? Have you taught them the effects of alcohol and diminished capacity? Have you taught them to handle their anger or how to channel it? Have you taught them that one mistake can follow them the rest of their life — and that some events are just not worth sweating over?
Our schools are doing their best to provide a pleasant environment, good and up-to-date materials and challenging curriculum in which our children can learn in an already competitive world. Our duty as parents is to send them to school fed, rested and with their homework complete from the day before. And, in mid process of building and nurturing character within them with which they may attempt to tackle the tasks ahead and face the bumps that life has in store for all of us.
Character building is part of their education, but the part that we should be instilling in them and not expecting the schools or anyone else to do it. Don’t expect the government to fix it afterward when they become entrenched in the criminal system.
Raising children is a long, diligent and often difficult job, but the most rewarding job we can ever do. Our parents did it for us and our grandparents before than. A positive attitude is the only tool with which we can arm them against the trials of life. Let’s all take the time to teach our children character and attitude — it could be just what will save ourselves — from ourselves.
Avesta Carrara