Thursday, April 26, 2007
Excuse Me While I Whip This Out
Excuse Me While I Whip This Out
I'm just not feeling well today, I've been very thirsty, my head feels like it's 3 times bigger than it should be, my nose and throat are itchy. Yes, I've caught a cold, probably from one of the little boogers I live with. The kids have been snotty (literally, not figuratively) off and on now weeks and they've finally passed it on to me.
Oregon Governor Attempts to Garner Support for Food Stamp Issues
The Governor of Oregon is doing the unthinkable trying to eat well on $21.00 a day! If people can travel on 40 dollars a day it actually sounds fairly reasonable that people can eat well at home for 20 dollars a day. An average family of four could expect a little more than 600 per month just to spend on groceries (21x30=630). Hell, ever since I started seriously examining what we've been spending on groceries in the past, I've been trying to stick to 500 a month. If I really dedicate myself to this number I find I can do it, but it requires careful planning and eliminating all extra trips to the store for no real reason. So, if I stick to my budget I can't just walk into the store in need of milk and walk out with 60 dollars of crap.
Maybe the Oregon Governor is onto something? In the clip I saw on TV his wife had provided him with a shopping list, which included 'organic' bananas'. I'm sorry but that speaks volumes for his wife's ability to save money since 'organic' bananas are a complete waste of money, when you consider their thick inedible skins. If you're really concerned about chemicals on your fruits and veggies, then do a little research first before you start throwing away money.
Well Duh
A couple weeks ago, my older son came home from school and proclaimed that he was told, "condoms don't work." I was aghast and couldn't believe that was what said to him, but upon further questioning it turned out that was his take on it when they explained they "don't always work."
I had to have the difficult talk that went into much more detail than the school did and I was surprised how well the talk went. I explained that condoms are 97% effective when used correctly and even went into a little detail on how to know if they're working right. He also confided they talked a lot about "abstinence," which I'm all for as long as it is in the proper context. Which from what I can gather, this wasn't. They talked about saying no to sex the same way in the 80's they talked to me about saying no to drugs and we all know how well that worked out. Talking just abstinence and telling students half the facts like 'condoms don't always work' is just wrong to me. I guess now studies have proven that abstinence only programs don't work and kids just as likely to have sex. Well duh!
It reminds me of the Just Say No campaign in the 80's when they sent a survey for students to fill out about their personal drug use. The "survey" had just a few yes or no answers and most required that you write out answers. Anyone in high school that had forgotten to write their name on something knew the teacher had a clue what your handwriting looked like or what your writing style was. Plus my teacher that handed out the 'survey' was kinda narkish. Yeah, I lied on it and so did everyone else I knew. How else could you explain the government poll that showed drug use in teens had dropped? Ask them questions in a non-anonymous way and maybe the anwers would be different.
© 2007 Whimsical Ranter
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3 comments:
Way back when I taught at a facility that was "holy" when it came to sex ed talk. The woman presenting the talk was somewhere between "I'm makin' love to my husband and we're all about rockin' the good orgasm (not her words, but a fair assessment of her sentiment)" and the nastiest and most grotesque sets of genitals infected with the kind of STD's that leave a person to rot in the Far East since there is no treatment in AMerica.
It still leaves me nervous to be entering the canyon without military style protection.
Abstinence is a good thing if phrased like this:
"You need to be responsible for whatever happens with the sex you have and if you aren't ready for that, then do something else."
OR
"this person seems all that now, but upon closer examination, you will find that by having sex with said person they will turn into a nut - thus, it's probably better to release your sexual frustrations upon yourself."
Then again, that's just me.
At least the hard part is over - you talked to your kid, and you're both still alive and properly functioning enough to reflect on this and know you did the right thing.
Have a great weekend.
Yeah he survived the "talk" but there was a lot of...OMG! MOM! and LA LA LA...
After that, the talk went very well. I told him basically what you said in regard to abstinence. It's just amazing how teachers can say one thing and have the child take it to mean something completely different.
Hmmm... bananas and condoms. Interesting mix of topics, I like the interweavingness. I agree, a thick skinned banana is pretty impervious to impregnation by pesticides.
I recently had a sex ed. discussion with my oldest (13). He brought home this "interview" and needed it signed by a parent to get credit for it. It was actually mostly relationship type stuff and peer pressure type stuff. Not too much discussion of the mechanics.
He says he and his friends don't talk about girls that much and losing their virginity. They talk about Star Wars and cars and stuff. Is that a good thing? Hopefully I didn't come off as a bumbling idiot.
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