You know pachyderm, when I talk to my daughter and listen to how she is working and involved with life and very "goal oriented", I can see where the hard work I put in, made a difference. And I did have some challenges while I raised her, but I kept to task on alot of things that made a big difference in "her" sense of stability as a person.

My daughter had dislexia so that was a challenge for me too, I took the steps to make sure I stayed on top of it and met with her teachers to make sure they knew her challenges. My daughter never lacked for love, comfort and a mommy that "listened" and while she did go to nursery school, it was to socialize and she was more than ready to come home by noon time. I am glad I didn't have all the technology that is out now, I honestly think it would have been "too much" stimulation for her young brain.

By the time my daughter went to middle school, grade 6, through 8, it was quite a shock to see the young girls dressed like high school girls with way too much emphasis on "sexuality" and "exposure" and "makeup". This was a big clue on how parents are not recognizing the dangers of children being allowed to be exposed to this at such a young age. A principal should not have to spend so much time on proper dress code.

Television is horrible these days, way too much sex and crime related programs. I had to make sure I really monitored what my daughter was allowed to watch. I made sure that friends came to my house verses her going to other homes because the one time I felt it was safe, the parents (socialites) felt it was ok for their daughter to sleep with her older brother, and my daughter came home crying because these children were showing her playboy magazines they took from dad in hid in their closet. This little girl was only six years old. And she was often left alone after school with her 9 year old brother to watch her. Ugh. And I can clearly remember the mother talking about how "close" her son and daughter were, how nice it was. Ugh

Why are we trying to encourage children to be out of the home earlier? While I do think it is good to teach children at age 4, it is important to make sure that this doesn't become part of a big plan to get children into long school days at earlier ages, they are not ready for that IMO.

There is so much talk about "equal rights" for women in careers. But, being a mother is also a significant "career choice" that should also be considered and also women should get an education to do that too. Or, if a woman is the bread winner and the husband choses to be the main caregiver, that too, should be considered a "valuable" career choice and require an education as well.

"No child left behind" has to begin in the "home".

I have been learning all about the subconscious mind in addressing and working through my PTSD. I never dreamed my childhood challenges had such a profound affect on me. I can see the difference between me and my own child, because I made sure she didn't have to address the things I had to address.

I have lost count of how many young people I have met on PC that struggle because of "neglect". These children could have the most modern school we can make, but it will not help them. And they will probably end up needing some kind of entitlement program from the government, or be on a drug program that will never really resolve their problems.

I have not seen a president that I can truely say is "intelligent" yet. There are so many "well written speeches" we can talk about, but not the one I want to really hear to be honest.

Obama talked about our most "valuable" of all, our children, but he still missed the "mark".