Responsibility

Every once in a while I venture outside the comics and actually read the new parts of the newspaper but then I read something that sets me off and poor Craig has to listen to my rants. I really should know better by now.

Today, it was this article, which explains how poor parents are suffering because their children are demanding toys they can't afford. And who is to blame - why the evil companies that are marketing their products to those brats children who would want them. Puh-leez! Take some responsibility people! They are your kids. If you don't have the money to buy those toys, don't buy them. If you don't want your kids to be exposed to those commercials, don't let them watch tv. If refusing to let them watch tv is also cruel, at least switch them over to non-commercial laden tv. It's called PBS and I've heard they have programs that cater specifically to children.

While searching for the article to link to, I stumbled across this post where one line caught my eye

"My parents had no choice but to buy her"

Yes, they did, just like you now do. One of those choices may not give you the same warm fuzzy feeling on Christmas morning that another might, but that doesn't mean it it isn't a good choice. In fact, it is probably a better choice. Another mom in the first article laments

"My son doesn't understand. Everything he sees, he wants."

Yes, he is 4. That is what 4 years old are like, it is your job to teach him he can't get everything he wants and the sooner that happens, the better off both of you will be. Maybe I was being too optimistic when I though that there could be an upside to this economic downturn in how it would enable parents to teach their children about the true meaning of Christmas. No, it just sent them off looking for someone else to blame.