Paychecks

Good Morning! I want to send some good wishes to BD who has been sick since we saw her in NC two weeks ago...hang in there BD...you'll be back on the ball field before you know it...

This morning Tink turned the news on and I caught the back end of a report....the topic was paying people to be better parents. Apparently someone (the government perhaps?) is going to pay people with children (I call them parents) to attend parenting classes. Based on preliminary data, there has been an increase in the child's abilities when parents know what to do. If you have been reading this blog, you know that I am not going to let this one go....

My first thought was "where is my paycheck?" My oldest is 21 years old, so somewhere my check is sitting there, collecting dust, waiting for me to pick it up. Does anyone know where? Since I have two children, does this mean that I receive more money? Is it enough to send the kids through college or pay $5.00 a gallon for gas?

Paying parents to attend parenting classes goes against the latent democrat in me. I have never been paid to be a parent. In fact, I pay to be a parent....let's see....car pooling, time off from work, cupcakes for bake sales, buying pizzas from the soccer team, uniforms and equipment for teams, trips to farms, museums, galleries, ball games, updated software for their new computers, paint to fix the damage on the walls from rough play or throwing objects in the house, books for class (always the night before they are due), lunch money ('cause they have to have a hot dog), movie money, school uniforms and shoes, sneakers, sneakers, sneakers, and more sneakers, and lastly, acne cream (teenage woes). All of this adds up to quite a bit of money with no assistance from a stipend parenting class administrator. Also, the trips to the store when we have "nothing to eat in this house..." add up to quite a bit of money.

The way I look at it is that it is a privilege to be a parent. No one has to pay me, even when we were creating those blasted dioramas for elementary school. With that said, whoever developed or created the concept of paying parents to learn how to parent was obviously ready to explode. I am sure that the grant writers had gone through a number of programs to encourage people to take interest in their children before the idea of money came up.

Yet, as I watched my parents and siblings care for their children, there was no discussion of salaries. No pay checks were collected however the return in the personal investment came from a number of other areas that you can't place a price tag on such as hugs, wet, sticky kisses, creative art work on the walls with permanent markers, and looks of love that would melt your heart. No money could purchase these jewels...it can't be done...because they are priceless....

Have a good day.