Protecting our kids in this corrupt world?

What do I do?

-Spend as much time with your kids as you can while they are little.

-Talk to them about everything that is happening in their lives so that they can talk about the things they are going through. Yep, even at age 2 or 3 or 5 or 8 etc ... being able to communicate openly with their parent/s seems to allow them to make better decisions.

-Give them responsibilities from young ages.

-Lots of affection, both by way of hugs and words.

-Tell them when they have made a good decision (again even as little toddlers - let them make choices and tell them when they have made a good choice).

-Don't have the news on the TV while they are around - they don't need to know all the awful stuff. Once they are in school and a bit older they will be exposed to whats going on in the world and that is early enough in my opinion.

I believe if kids are raised with love and affection, rules and boundaries and have open and honest relationships with those around them it will give them a head start.

As parents we can only deal with a certain amount. Don't worry too much about the years to come. Spend time with them now and lay down the blueprints for what you want them to be later :-)

I have a 14 yr old boy and a 10 yr old girl. I think there is no one perfect answer....I mean look at yourself and others around you, I am a product of some of the things my parents did and not of others, in good and bad ways, and my sister, who obviously has the same parents as me, was a totally different person than I was growing up. So with my kids I do my best to keep the lines of communication open and say yes to whatever they want to do with friends that involves staying at my house, because I then know what they are doing. All you can do is your best, I think the rest is fate and just human nature!

Well, I learned fairly early into my son's infancy upon coming home that you can not foam rubber the world (although we may want to at times) and you can not protect from every bad thing that could happen, might happen or will happen in life.

What you CAN do is teach them values and morals that will see them through the tough stuff and keep communicating and knowing what is going on in their life- even if they don't like it.

No kid is perfect just like there are no perfect parents, but as parents we can all hope that we give our kids enough values along the way that they will be able to stand on their own two feet out of our sight and become independent, capable and productive adults in life.

Participation ribbons are good. It really doesn't mark any achievement- but in life participation is 99% of success too. Honor rolls are good. I would speak to the principal and rally some PTA help with that one. Being sensitive about b-day invites is good- but I like a reminder to be sensitive rather than a mandate on what must be done. Valentines to the whole class is good- it teaches to be nice to everyone, at least on that one day. For the most part I agree with you. It does our children a disservice to not be more honest, although every kid deserves to feel worthy and special in their own ways too. My personal experience with this was a ridiculous spelling bee. When children (my daughter just finished 4th) mispelled- the grand puba/helper/guidance counselor didn't say "I'm sorry, that's wrong," she looked into the audience grief stricken & whined "Do we have a mother here?" Every kid went off crying. Ridiculous. My daughter was upset but didn't run out of the room like every other kid out before her- I stood up and motioned for her to sit with me and watch the rest. Duh.

lol calm down!

Theres no right or wrong way! Just your way! Take it one day at a time and try to chill out - have faith you have raised your kids well and they will make good decisions!

You can be the most overprotective parent in the world, but accidents can and do still happen. likewise you can be a terrible parent and get lucky!

Calm down and take it one day at a time! :o)

have some common sense. so many parents are seem to be blind and clueless and have no common sense. if common senese tells you that somthing is wrong, it probably is. and ont let your kids get away with everything. be VERY consistent in your discipline.

reach them right from wrong, discipline, show them love and affection, mak sure their dad is in their lives, little girls who dont have attentitive fathers will seek that out at an early age

just talk with them and keep the dialouge open