Ok... so I picked my son up a computer. He already had one... but it was 2 or 3 years old, so we went and got him one like the one I just bought myself. So now... he's got 2 computers in his playroom/office. It was a surprise to him... and he came downstairs after discovering it, saying "Ok.. Do you THINK I'm spoiled?"
I've been giving that funny line a lot of thought since then (the past 2 days)... and can't decide how I actually feel about it. But I've come to think on it this way. As I told him (he's 16)... he uses his computers for his future. (He wants to be a television journalist aka Tom Brokaw), and develops a lot of video productions. It takes up a lot of room on a computer... and he ran out of space on the last one, as well as on the external harddrive. Plus, he is on the honour roll, and has been each year of highschool. Plus he works hard at a job, and does hours a week in volunteer work. He's a good kid. And as long as he continues to be that kind of person, I won't worry about spoiling him with things he actually uses to further himself. HOWEVER... should it begin to adversely affect him... or he decides to be less trustworthy, etc... I'll re-evaluate.
Does that make sense? We never spoiled him much as a little guy. We tried to ensure that he understood the value of things. But lately, one could consider him slightly spoiled with regard to his electronics. :D
Being a parent is hard. It's HARD. Raising them until 12? That's so much easier than AFTER 12. After 12, they begin to move in their OWN direction... their OWN style... and you have to rely on having taught them enough, that it sticks. You have to rely on them. On their dreams being big enough to keep them on track.
I'm glad that we pushed him to have big dreams.
I thought I'd share a layout I did of him
.
I've been giving that funny line a lot of thought since then (the past 2 days)... and can't decide how I actually feel about it. But I've come to think on it this way. As I told him (he's 16)... he uses his computers for his future. (He wants to be a television journalist aka Tom Brokaw), and develops a lot of video productions. It takes up a lot of room on a computer... and he ran out of space on the last one, as well as on the external harddrive. Plus, he is on the honour roll, and has been each year of highschool. Plus he works hard at a job, and does hours a week in volunteer work. He's a good kid. And as long as he continues to be that kind of person, I won't worry about spoiling him with things he actually uses to further himself. HOWEVER... should it begin to adversely affect him... or he decides to be less trustworthy, etc... I'll re-evaluate.
Does that make sense? We never spoiled him much as a little guy. We tried to ensure that he understood the value of things. But lately, one could consider him slightly spoiled with regard to his electronics. :D
Being a parent is hard. It's HARD. Raising them until 12? That's so much easier than AFTER 12. After 12, they begin to move in their OWN direction... their OWN style... and you have to rely on having taught them enough, that it sticks. You have to rely on them. On their dreams being big enough to keep them on track.
I'm glad that we pushed him to have big dreams.
I thought I'd share a layout I did of him
.It's called "Go Your Own Way". The journaling says:
You have amazing, wonderful, and lofty dreams... and you have the God-given talent to achieve those dreams. Just be sure to carve your own path... forge your own destiny... and go your own way. Don't try to walk another man's path. God made you JUST the way you are for a purpose. HIS purpose. So Go your own way!
2 comments:
What an adorable layout! I love the colors!
Thanks for the thought provoking post. There's a fine line bewteen giving them waht they need to excel and spoiling. Seems likeyou are doing a great job. Wonderful layout
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