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Show School and tTl Home k 7 by Dr. Daryl J . McCarty yLJ Executive Director . Utah Education Association 'AfJ A survey of American children shows that their chief complaints about parents are that mom and dad make them eat food they don't like and turn off the television set. Other criticism of parents by the kids stems from unfair punishment, criticism of friends, forbidding snacks, unwillingness un-willingness to buy what the kids see advertised, making fun of them in front of others, taking away allowances, not enough time with the parents and too much argument about money. Some of those gripes indicate that parents are doing a good job. Alter all, if kids could choose everything they eat, some of them would exist on chocolate. If they could choose when to turn off the TV, some might sleep only two hours a night. II parents bought everything their kids saw advetised, the demand for sports cars, motorcycles motor-cycles and unaffordable walking-talking dolls would quintuple. And parents would spend themselves into pauperdom. Limits must be set for young people, and that's the job of parents. Living ' within those limits is the job of young people, and it takes a certain amount of character to do so. For the purposes of this article, character is defined as "doing what you should do, even though you may not want to." Character is built in the home and it should be expanded in the schools. Just as kids have preferences about food and when they want to flick off the televison set, they also hve likes and dislikes about courses in schools. So. if they are to get a solid education, they must take some classes they would really prefer to avoid. Taking that super-tough chemistry course and excelling in it because it's a requirement for any student who wants to become a a physician is a demonstration of character. Parents who expect their children to eat nutritious foods and do their very best in school-are school-are doing their jobs well. These are among the most important things you do lor your children, even when they don't like what your're doing. |