What are we teaching our children?

sunshine4 · ,

I live in the US and I try to teach my children how lucky they are to have the freedom to do whatever they choose with their lives.

They don't realize how many children from other parts of the world don't have the same opportunities.

Should we be teaching our children about other children in the world, or just let them take for granted what they have been given?

Gloria · ,

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine4

I live in the US and I try to teach my children how lucky they are to have the freedom to do whatever they choose with their lives.

They don't realize how many children from other parts of the world don't have the same opportunities.

Should we be teaching our children about other children in the world, or just let them take for granted what they have been given?

I think it is a good idea to learn and sometimes experience the other side of life.. Life is not just "freedom" and life is not just "happiness" ... there is always an opposite side to to whatever we see, hear or touch and hence what ever we experience in life. Hence in order to experience the true meaning of life, one must learn or one should know all that constitute life. Pain and sorrow form part of life and they are the opposites of happiness and joy respectively.. so is the other side of freedom.

Ricardo · ,

I think it would be very positive for children to learn about how other cultures live.

And speaking of freedom, there's also a whole other conversation there regarding the recent changes to the laws dealing with homeland defense.

Gloria · ,

You are welcome Ricardo!

bika · ,

Tell them that US doesnt have any kind of freedom. They are the citizen of most dangerous country, most hated country of the world. Teach truth to your children.

Gloria · ,

Quote:

Originally Posted by bika

Tell them that US doesnt have any kind of freedom. They are the citizen of most dangerous country, most hated country of the world. Teach truth to your children.

you are welcome Bika! .. Well, I learned that US is the "land of freedom" It is also the "land of opportunities" how then can US be the "most hated" country in the world?... are you sure US is the "most hated" country in the world?

LydiaB · ,

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine4

I live in the US and I try to teach my children how lucky they are to have the freedom to do whatever they choose with their lives.

They don't realize how many children from other parts of the world don't have the same opportunities.

Should we be teaching our children about other children in the world, or just let them take for granted what they have been given?

Hmmmm....

I cannot agree with teaching children that they are free to do anything they want to do. Privilege is a serious factor in the USA. I think it is more important to teach them to recognize when they are being denied opportunity within our own borders, and to fight to expand the personal sovereignty that would be removed by conservative agenda which supports the wealthiest member of society first.

Gloria · ,

Great! you are welcome Lydia!

katharina · ,

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine4

Should we be teaching our children about other children in the world, or just let them take for granted what they have been given?

I've always been sure that my daughter was taught not only about our own country, but about others around the globe, too.

With the internet opening so many doors now, it's really important for kids to learn about other cultures I think because they will be dealing with others via the internet for the rest of their lives. EVERYTHING is related to this technology now it seems.

maryelser · ,

I try to teach my kids not to take the freedom that they have here in the usa for granted. There are other great countries in the world but there are quite a few that do not have the freedom we have. I have to disagree with you bika. I don't think the usa is the most dangerous country. It is important for kids of all nations to learn about other cultures.

jimmys devoted · ,

I am second generation born american. so my ideas from the old country are still engrained.
I taught my daughter about marxism, communism, socialism, our four party system ( yes we really do have four parties not two) and all other types of governmental bodies. I taught her to read ther apper and learn.. never forget the past because we are doomed to repeat.

We are the most hated country because we have become bullies to the rest of the world.
We figure out politics and bully tactics are needed else where and we basically are not protecting our own homeland because we feel the need to stick our nose where it doent belong.
We in the US have a high percentage of people who are unemployed, without homes in need of medical helps, food and other daily needs. yet we send billions of dollars overseas for what. to let our own people degrade.
I live in deep appalachia where the churches are taking care of people, feeding them everyday, getting them help and our state has taken money away from welfare. medicaid and other needed services that were designed for the poor to make a lottery! Now they want to raise our tax again.......

our priorities are becoming hazy in the US and with our troops going overseas to a country that doesn't want us there makes no sense...

julie

Gloria · ,

great post! you are very welcome Julie!

Indiescribe · ,

I think it is a good idea. Here in India we are taught about other cultures in Geography. But I agree, that reading and experiencing are two different things but even then it's a start. I think some countries have student exchange programs too, but is it common?

justjoy · ,

I wouldn't teach our children to take anything for granted and I think it's important to teach them about other cultures and to become aware of the misjustices that exist. Perhaps most importantly would be to teach our children how to respond to those.

SageMother · ,

I think it is important to teach children how to look at the world with, what some say is, a jaundiced eye. Teaching kids to be idealistic really does them a disservice, leaving them open for manipulation that is probably not in their best interest.

ladyfaith · ,

I think it is very important for our children to be taught to appreciate the freedoms they have in this country. They need to grow up with the understanding that many things are available to them here, but that it is up to them to make wise decisions in choosing which things they want to pursue in life.

keeper · ,

Teaching them about other people is a good idea because they would further understand how they are lucky for living in your country. I guess that you are telling them about those countries who are dealing with strict rulers.

suvan · ,

In Us & other developed countries,children are getting much more opportunities & freedom than other countries in the world.They're getting it due to the advancement of the country's financial condition & of course freedom due to the change in mentality of people.

It's also essential for children to learn about different parts of the world & their lifestyle.

Gloria · ,

Quote:

Originally Posted by suvan

In Us & other developed countries,children are getting much more opportunities & freedom than other countries in the world.They're getting it due to the advancement of the country's financial condition & of course freedom due to the change in mentality of people.

It's also essential for children to learn about different parts of the world & their lifestyle.

great! you are welcome Suvan !

Ztonatz · ,

As a child grows it's good to let them know how other children were not that fortunate like what they experience. Don't deprive them what they want to do and what make them happy but considering a positive freedom. Sometimes a child also needs to experience pain and sorrow to learn how life is in reality.

ladyfaith · ,

While I would not want to do anything to cause sorrow or pain upon my children, I do agree it is a natural part of growth as an adult. I can look back on things that have happened to me in the past and even though I didn't understand it at the time, I know these are things that have made me stronger.

dheeruyadav · ,

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine4

I live in the US and I try to teach my children how lucky they are to have the freedom to do whatever they choose with their lives.

They don't realize how many children from other parts of the world don't have the same opportunities.

Should we be teaching our children about other children in the world, or just let them take for granted what they have been given?

we should let our children's to know that they are lucky enough to be bought up in a good way, there are millions of other children's which are not as blessed as they are. they have to fight for every thing.

DianaR · ,

I am concerned that children are no longer taught survival skills, like hunting, tanning, and others that are necessary when industries are not available.

I also concerned that children are "protected" from the life cycle. A 10 year old farm kid back in the preindustrial world, knew more about the life cycle, from tending the animals, than many 16 year olds know today. That is a giant step backwards.

Think seeing both the beginnings and the ends of life cycles build an appreciation for life itself.

bluesnow · ,

With the increasing globalized world today, I think it would be a good idea to teach children about the rest of the world so that their views and thinking won't be conformed to just their own nations. Exposing them to the different cultures, standard of living and the problems of the rest of the world will help to broaden their scope and views on the world.

zowie · ,

Of course they are a lucky bunch. Kids of 21st century are a lot better of than their predecessors. And American kids are even more luckier. They get better opportunities regarding all aspects of their life compared with their third world companions. You should teach the kids about their luck. But it is not easy to explain to them. If you can take them with you on your foreign trips and show them, that might be easier for them to understand.

Aleiah · ,

I teach my kids the difference between the good deeds versus the bad ones. This is so they could differentiate its difference and its outcome. I try not to spoil them but I also let them know that they are loved. And not everything they want is necessary for them, I try to explain everything to them. So that they will get the exact idea of the consequence why I won't let him have this or do that.

Related Topics
Topic	Topic Starter	Categories	Replies	Last Reply
License To Have Children: Limit the number of children per family?	Naphtali	SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES	69

,	#1
sunshine4 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 4	What are we teaching our children? I live in the US and I try to teach my children how lucky they are to have the freedom to do whatever they choose with their lives. They don't realize how many children from other parts of the world don't have the same opportunities. Should we be teaching our children about other children in the world, or just let them take for granted what they have been given?

,	#3
Ricardo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 14	I think it would be very positive for children to learn about how other cultures live. And speaking of freedom, there's also a whole other conversation there regarding the recent changes to the laws dealing with homeland defense.

,	#4
Gloria Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 217	You are welcome Ricardo!

,	#5
bika Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 22	Tell them that US doesnt have any kind of freedom. They are the citizen of most dangerous country, most hated country of the world. Teach truth to your children.

,	#10
maryelser Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 46	I try to teach my kids not to take the freedom that they have here in the usa for granted. There are other great countries in the world but there are quite a few that do not have the freedom we have. I have to disagree with you bika. I don't think the usa is the most dangerous country. It is important for kids of all nations to learn about other cultures.

,	#11
jimmys devoted Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 10	i taught my daughter I am second generation born american. so my ideas from the old country are still engrained. I taught my daughter about marxism, communism, socialism, our four party system ( yes we really do have four parties not two) and all other types of governmental bodies. I taught her to read ther apper and learn.. never forget the past because we are doomed to repeat. We are the most hated country because we have become bullies to the rest of the world. We figure out politics and bully tactics are needed else where and we basically are not protecting our own homeland because we feel the need to stick our nose where it doent belong. We in the US have a high percentage of people who are unemployed, without homes in need of medical helps, food and other daily needs. yet we send billions of dollars overseas for what. to let our own people degrade. I live in deep appalachia where the churches are taking care of people, feeding them everyday, getting them help and our state has taken money away from welfare. medicaid and other needed services that were designed for the poor to make a lottery! Now they want to raise our tax again....... our priorities are becoming hazy in the US and with our troops going overseas to a country that doesn't want us there makes no sense... julie

,	#13
Indiescribe Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 46	I think it is a good idea. Here in India we are taught about other cultures in Geography. But I agree, that reading and experiencing are two different things but even then it's a start. I think some countries have student exchange programs too, but is it common?

,	#14
justjoy Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 15	I wouldn't teach our children to take anything for granted and I think it's important to teach them about other cultures and to become aware of the misjustices that exist. Perhaps most importantly would be to teach our children how to respond to those.

,	#15
SageMother Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 10	I think it is important to teach children how to look at the world with, what some say is, a jaundiced eye. Teaching kids to be idealistic really does them a disservice, leaving them open for manipulation that is probably not in their best interest.

,	#16
ladyfaith Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: US Replies: 71	I think it is very important for our children to be taught to appreciate the freedoms they have in this country. They need to grow up with the understanding that many things are available to them here, but that it is up to them to make wise decisions in choosing which things they want to pursue in life.

,	#17
keeper Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Replies: 69	Teaching them about other people is a good idea because they would further understand how they are lucky for living in your country. I guess that you are telling them about those countries who are dealing with strict rulers.

,	#18
suvan Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Replies: 47	In Us & other developed countries,children are getting much more opportunities & freedom than other countries in the world.They're getting it due to the advancement of the country's financial condition & of course freedom due to the change in mentality of people. It's also essential for children to learn about different parts of the world & their lifestyle.

,	#20
Ztonatz Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Replies: 6	As a child grows it's good to let them know how other children were not that fortunate like what they experience. Don't deprive them what they want to do and what make them happy but considering a positive freedom. Sometimes a child also needs to experience pain and sorrow to learn how life is in reality.

,	#23
DianaR Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Replies: 12	I am concerned that children are no longer taught survival skills, like hunting, tanning, and others that are necessary when industries are not available. I also concerned that children are "protected" from the life cycle. A 10 year old farm kid back in the preindustrial world, knew more about the life cycle, from tending the animals, than many 16 year olds know today. That is a giant step backwards. Think seeing both the beginnings and the ends of life cycles build an appreciation for life itself.

,	#24
bluesnow Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Replies: 67	Re: What are we teaching our children? With the increasing globalized world today, I think it would be a good idea to teach children about the rest of the world so that their views and thinking won't be conformed to just their own nations. Exposing them to the different cultures, standard of living and the problems of the rest of the world will help to broaden their scope and views on the world.

,	#25
zowie Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Replies: 79	Re: What are we teaching our children? Of course they are a lucky bunch. Kids of 21st century are a lot better of than their predecessors. And American kids are even more luckier. They get better opportunities regarding all aspects of their life compared with their third world companions. You should teach the kids about their luck. But it is not easy to explain to them. If you can take them with you on your foreign trips and show them, that might be easier for them to understand.

,	#26
Aleiah Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Replies: 46	Re: What are we teaching our children? I teach my kids the difference between the good deeds versus the bad ones. This is so they could differentiate its difference and its outcome. I try not to spoil them but I also let them know that they are loved. And not everything they want is necessary for them, I try to explain everything to them. So that they will get the exact idea of the consequence why I won't let him have this or do that.

What are we teaching our children?

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ISSUES