Tiffany, I think you will raise very strong Christian children. Children cannot be kept in a bubble. My kids play with neighborhood kids all the time that are not Christian. They perfectly understand that these kids don't know the Lord. They also understand the boundaries that are my dh and I place on them. We would be crazy not to expose them while we are the ones in control. We are to guide them in the world not hide them from the world. Afterall, without a clear understanding how can they remain separate and witness to others. Jesus did not shun sinners. Jesus ate with the publicans and other so called unlovables. We should NEVER forget that we are no more unloveable than anyone else. I think you are so right on Tiffany! I will admit I am a bit more strict. But I can't say I think you are at all wrong. Funny you mention sheltering. I have a friend you thought her child's innocence was tainted when he heard the "n" word in a movie. I mean, c'mon...he has to be prepared and know what that means. Think if he heard it and then used it wrong. He is 10 years old. No one would believe he didn't know what it meant. I told her to just tell him what it means and instruct him not to say it.
I used to not like punmpkins cause they are scaaaaaaaary, but I read somethign this year that was cool... It said, A Christian is like a pumkin that God took out all the nasty bad stuff and carved a big smile on then put His light inside so it could shine for all to see! I like that, and so I dont have anything against pumkins hehe, we have always had them but not made scareyfaces on them. Painted them mostly and had contests, that was fun, creative, funny, etc, I think the greatest thing a family with good values and keeps a strict watch on your children can find out is that your child comes home early from a friends. You ask them why? They say, Well the movie they were watching was not appopriate, and I know you would nto want me watching it , so I made my excuses and came home" My son did that at 10 or so and I tell you I gave him so much praise for it! How many of us would have done the same at our friends houses?
TM - that's great. My dd10 is going to a slumber party tonight for her best friend. I don't agree at all with the way this child is raised (divorced parents so they both try to spoil her rotten to make up for something i guess) and have my reservations about this party. I talked very openly with my daughter and she knows what she is and isn't allowed to watch, listen to or do. I told her at anytime she feels uncomfortable or in a bad position to call me and I will come pick her up. I want her to have an out if she needs it you know? Another thing I love about my kids is that they don't know color or handicap in people. I love that!!! God didn't make me better than anyone else simply because my skin is white and it has just never been an issue with the girls. I just want them to grow up to be good caring people.
Tanner is the same way. He doesn't question it. Not sure if it's because he's around those differences all the time or what. Although...at AWANA the other night...here is our conversation... Tanner: Mommy, I don't want the black teacher to be there. Me: The what? (wondering if I misinterpreted him) Tanner: The black teacher Me: (looking at hubby with a puzzled look) Tanner: Mommy, the black teacher at Awana. Me: Honey, who is that? Tanner: You know, the teacher with the black T-SHIRT! Me: Ooohhhhhhh! (wiping my brow) Well, you have to EXPLAIN yourself kid!!! People are going to think things if you don't explain them properly! We have never discussed races or anything so it threw me for a loop!:lol: All that shock over someone in a black t-shirt!
we have always been a people are people family. My kids dont knwo the diff either, at least they did not untill my ds15 went to Private school. The kids there cracked racial jokes all the time, he came home asking me why he was so white? ( my son did not understand the racial jokes either thought it was dumb and his school is multiracial if that is what you call it, i worried with all the jokes so its just bazzar ) I looked at him domfouded uh... because of our ancesstery.. So then he started getting intresed in what country he came from. etc That was a can of worms to open because we are actually related to Mary Queen of Scots, and that leads us to her cousin... James of the King James Bible. So now hes talking Scottish, Lol. Funny boy.
A little boy about 5 said about a black man that goes to my church (keep in mind there are only about three black people at my church--small church), "Wow, Ed has the best tan in the whole church!" LOL. I am white and my dh is black. My kids look completely white. My dh is pretty light so my kids don't even look mixed. Once a little girl that lived down the street said, " my mom said we were not going to buy that house because black people lived on the street." I was mortified! She was not talking about my family, they were moving. I also offered to watch this little girl once and the mom refused. I tend to think it was a race issue since she let neighbors she barely knew watch her kid. In fact, she left her kid with a neighbor the first day they met! yea, she is not the ideal mom. Anyway, my kids are aware of color. lol. We don't get much flack or anything. Once my kids asked me what was wrong with a handicapped boy. I said, "Nothing at all. He is exactly as God wants him to be." Then of course I explained to them how he differed physically. I think it is just plain heartbreaking to look down on someone. I mean if we are all God's children then how do you think He feels when we bad mouth His kid? I know how I would feel if someone bad mouthed my kid. I know that I am especially upset if my own kid bad mouths my other kid. Gee, and God has a perfect love.
Oh, one more addition, this year its better! They don't put up with that and there must be more people watching the teens inbetween class because he hassaid nothing about it
Wow...I think Becky's thread has been completely highjacked to another topic yet again. LOL!:lol: Ava, it's sad that in this world in today's age people still feel the need to be like that.
Wow, that is so cool! Being a KJVer, I am honored to post on the same board as you. LOL. I hope you know I said that completely in jest. lol. Not the KJVer part the other part. lol.
You are right that is sad. I had the priviledge of growing up where color wasn't ever thought of. My hubby on the other hand didn't. His dad says some of the worst things. Thankfully my dh wasn't affected and my kids grow up nowing to look at a persons heart and not their skin color.
Okay a song just popped into my head but with slightly different words - "this is the thread that never ends it just goes on and on my friend....." hahaha! Growing up my parents weren't racist but my unlce and aunt were. When I went to their home I was forbiden from playing with the "colored" kids across the street. I could not understand why. Also my mother grew up with a black maid that could only enter the kitchen door and eat in the kitchen and she never understood why she couldn't eat in the dinning room with the family. Now that was all in the 30's and 40's. I had friends of all races and so does my daughter. I think it is a beautiful thing when people of all shapes, religions, colors and backgrounds can come together as friends! Can I just say that with all the different opinions and ways of life in this world it is so very nice to be able to discuss these issues that affect our daily lives in a civilized manner with all of you!
race has always been a point of conversation and awearness in our household, we have a very diverse family and because of adoption, marriage and step family i am the only "white" person in our household..alltho ds5 pointed out that im more peach and brown and the only thing about me thats white is my eyeballs and teeth! (lol thats my boy!). my partner is black, two of our children have one black parent and one white, another two are half white half native american and our youngest is hispanic... the older kids have experianced peers teasing them and so we have had lots of conversation about color and what it means, just another good opperutnity to teach my kids why we dont judge people because they are diffrent!
My grandmother used to have a few black friends that came over her house all the time. Little did they know they had thier own "glass" that only they drank out of. How do ya like that for friendship! My mother once refused to buy a house because black people lived in it. She also once put my black friend's hat in a brown paper bag for me to give back to her after leaving it at my house. I was innocent enough to give it to her in the bag. She gave me a funny look. My mother also told me that if I ever dated a black man she would never speak to me again. Well, she still speaks to me. Geesh, thought I had an out for a minute. lol. Just kidding. Actually she claims to have gotten over her racism. I think she did really. She did once say she could not have picked a better man then my dh for me. I didn't date my dh out of rebellion. I just was never racist. I thought my mom and dad were nuts. In fact, my type was dark hair and blue eyes. Funny, my dh likes that combo also. Niether one of us have dark hair or blue eyes. He is bald. lol. Guess we really were meant to be. lol
That's what I say awhile back MonkeyMom is god made us all different, and he did it for a reason. My girls know that everyone is to be treated the same, color, size, shape and so one.
I read "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" about a year or so to my kids. It's interesting that Phillip thought the white boy "liked" Cassie (the black girl). I explained to him that, in this time in history, they weren't allowed to "like" each other and that they could both be killed if they later decided to marry. He gave me the funniest look and then announced, "That's stupid!" They know so many mixed marriages that they think absolutely nothing of it.
