Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I can't sleep

So it's 1:00am. Amanda is sleeping soundly in bed with Conner next to her humming in his sleep. It's really cute. So why am I still awake?... I guess it's too much on my mind. Vicky and Kevin's financial situation, neither of them deciding to quit smoking, them wanting to move, me looking for a job, and to top it off... just a few kids who I worry and care for who aren't even mine.
Kids today don't get the attention they need ... and they're screaming out loud that they need it.. and nobody is listening. It often seems us parents are too busy making ends meet, paying the bills by working two jobs. How may times do parents actually sit down with their kids and help them with homework? How often do we sit down on the couch and really really talk to the?
I mean, for a 11 year old to hang out with 16-18 year olds to get the attention she wants kind of bothers me. She talks more about parties and boys than sleepovers and BFFs. When I'm spend time visiting my niece and my nieces friend wants to know when I'm coming back because she misses my hugs..that really worries me. I think I've seen more "I love you's" typed to best friends, GF's, and BF's, in one week on Facebook, than I've heard in the entire month from my family! Whats wrong with that?

Do we give our kids time to think about the future enough? I remember in high school we had "career day" where career consolers, business representatives, & teachers would go over what types of careers that were available. And we all remember career day in grammar school, when we'd tell the teacher what our dad did for a living. But what happened from 5th grade on? Somewhere along the line we get so caught up with kids with the friends, socializing, who got jumped last week at school, making sure they get their homework done, that we forget to step back and remember that in 4-7 years they'll be out in the real world.

Why do I worry about this?.. because I've already seen it.. I've seen a 15year old teen become pregnant after I warned her she needed to be very careful. . This girl is now 20 and a mom to a 5 year old daughter. I've seen a 17year old get caught up stealing prescription medications from my ex so she could sell them to make money. She's now 21, has moved a while back, cleaned up her act and is getting married next year. I saw a 17year old leave home because of her moms abuse, move into a boyfriends house, at 18 become a stripper, and get hooked on cocaine. Last time i heard she was somewhere in Arizona.

This is why I can't sleep.

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