Living Hell–How Do You Survive Leaving A Child To Bake In A Car?
Friday, August 15th, 2008Every year in Houston, children die after being left in hot cars. In the last two days here, two children have died. The child who died today, a three year old, tried to save himself:
As the temperatures rose in his mother’s locked truck on Thursday, authorities said the little boy managed to free himself from his car seat and climb to the front of the vehicle, where he put a key in the ignition.
But the 3-year-old died before he could escape the sweltering heat that soon overtook him in the truck’s cabin, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.
Cameron Thomas Boone, who celebrated his third birthday last month, was the second child within less than 24 hours to die in the Houston area after a loved one drove to work, locked the vehicle and forgot about them. The boys were the third and fourth children to die in hot vehicles in Harris County this year.
I don’t know how you live after this. It’s so disturbing. How can you charge a parent with a crime? What kind of penalty can be worse than what they live with? Invariably, a family member is on the way to work and forgot the child.
My biggest fear, in Houston, is accidentally leaving my keys in the car, or something like this happening. It is stressful being distracted and having a bunch of kids to herd. Terrifying.
Drowning Prevention
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008A relative enrolled their child in a drowning prevention class. She is five months old and can float now and save herself. Go watch this video–as a parent, it is absolutely frightening to watch.
I have mixed emotions. On the one hand, of course children should be taught to swim as young as possible. It’s a non-negotiable at my house, not only because we have a pool, but because I just believe that all children should know how to swim, and at a young age. They also need to know how to rescue someone else because so many children drown trying to save a friend or sibling.
Still, does training like this give parents and families a false sense of security. The child in the video was clearly fatiguing. The training buys a parent precious minutes, but does it make tragic events more likely because parents or care-takers are less vigilant?
Cross-posted at RightWingNews.com
Consenting Adults
Monday, July 14th, 2008
This woman consented at 18, no problem:
Full disclosure (or is it oversharing?): I entered into a relationship with an older man when I was 18. I knew what I was doing, and frankly, I would have known what I was doing at 17 or at 16. But since this wasn’t a Romeo and Juliet situation (i.e., we weren’t just a couple years apart in age), it would’ve been criminal to get together any earlier. To which I say, get off my back, government!
These laws are very culture- and century-specific. What we call May-December now would’ve been called June-September not too long ago. Not everyone’s sexual desires fit neatly into the particular mores of the time they live in.
Not long ago, I met a married couple, four kids in, who had met when he was in his late-20s and she was 16. They were still going. She said, “Yeah, we did everything wrong” and she grinned.
Well. There is no question in my mind that some sixteen year old girls know what they’re doing, but the laws aren’t put there for some girls and boys–they are for everyone. And for every Lolita who seemed self-aware at 14, there are ten who still possess childlike innocence.
Lowering the age of consent endangers these children. And even the mature, aware girls don’t know what they don’t know. It won’t be until they’re older, that they get the creepiness factor. In all their horny, nubile-nature they won’t get it now. but they will get it later. Maybe. Or maybe, they’ll be happily married.
Either way, I prefer the law to be conservative and let families make exceptions than the other way around. Young people will be pushed into the world unprotected soon enough.
H/T Instapundit
Cross-posted at Right Wing News
I Kissed A Girl And I Resent It
Friday, July 11th, 2008I have a confession. It’s kinda embarrassing (along the lines of my Orlando Bloom love which has abated, I must admit) but I’m going to tell you anyway: I like trashy pop music. Yes, I do. My heart is moved by Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love”. Natasha Bedingfield puts snap in my step. I’ve taken solace under an Umbrella and like Lollipops. I know. Terrible.
Even I have limits, though.
A new tune is at the tops of iTunes and it is wickedly catchy: I Kissed A Girl And I Liked It.
So I do a little sleuthing and wouldn’t you know that the girl, Katy Perry, singing this trashy tune is the daughter of two preachers. Preachers kids, they always go to extremes. Remember Footloose? (And, oh, by the way, Kevin Bacon is 50 years old. Yes, you’re getting old, too.)
Anyhoo, so I’m watching So You Think You Can Dance last night and Katy Perry sings her tune on the show:
Here’s the problem: This is a family show. Children, mostly girls, who aspire to be dancers watch the show because the dancing is amazing. It’s a milder form of American Idol, really. I have the same issues around these shows:
1. The advertising should be kid appropriate.
2. The content should be kid appropriate.
3. At all points through the show, the producers should keep in mind who is watching the show.
If adults want to listen to “I Kissed A Girl”, fine. Even teenagers can work their way around the topic. But I do not want to have to have a conversation with my eight year old about why a girl would kiss a girl. The lyrics are ribald and obvious, and, clear. Subtle lyrics can be vaguely addressed, but these lyrics beg for an explanation. Pardon me, but I’m not interested in explaining sexual orientation quite yet and the subtleties therein.
I know. I can change the channel and I do. But come on! When something purports to be “family” programming, it shouldn’t be a big deal to leave the room to go to the bathroom for a minute. No commercials on “ED” or douching. No profanity. No violence. And no sexual provocation.
Maybe I’m an old fuddy duddy. Probably so. It is hard enough to raise children with some form of sustained childhood without being exposed to every adult idea at 8.
Germans Finally Stop Discriminating Against Babies
Thursday, July 10th, 2008Life is not fair–especially for babies. Babies are stuck. If their moron parents wait too long to change their diapers, babies must suffer. Babies don’t get to drink French wine and that’s just l’abominable. Babies don’t know the pleasures of Kobe beef. Babies are deprived of the pleasures of sexual relations. Babies don’t get to serve in the military. Most of all, babies don’t get to vote.
It. Is. Not. Fair.
German babies will be equal, finally:
According to the head of the liberal Free Democratic Party traditional coalition partner of Chancellor Merkel’s CDU party the constitutional change would enfranchise 14 million people.
“Unfortunately in Germany, 17 per cent of the population, namely the children and adolescent, are excluded from political decision making,” said FDP chief Dirk Niebel.
“This is a situation we cannot accept any longer. We generally have to pay more attention to their interests.” The law is proposed as part of a review of voting rights which its champions hope will be in force for the federal elections in Germany next year.
Dirk, you are so right. Disenfranchised babies have been a problem, a big problem. I mean, it’s almost as bad as how poorly treated the Jews used to be. Almost.
H/T Cassy Fiano and Moonbattery
