My friend John Loss of Grand Island called me after reading my column questioning why we make people take tests before they can drive a car but send them off with brand new babies without a thought as to whether they can raise a child.
John was delighted to tell me about a program he and his wife, Suzanne, are learning about. They traveled to Omaha, Nebraska where they watched a graduation of parents in a program called the “Building Families Boutique,” through the Lutheran Church. Parents in the program participated in parenting classes and in exchange received points toward baby clothes and other necessities. Check it out at www.lfsneb.org. The program is “just such a beautiful wonderful way of helping people to see what its like to be a parent,” John said, hinting that he and his wife are planning to get much more involved in the near future. It reminded me of another program locally I did a story on, which does the same thing for new mothers, at the Summit Life Outreach Center in Wheatfield. New moms can earn points to purchases baby supplies by watching videos and participating in counseling. You can watch the video I shot at the Outreach Center at http://www.niagara-gazette.com/niagaraliving/local_story_060160027.html.
Last but not least, a reader blogged this response to my column: “Just read your column in Niagara Living about a parenting test. I too think people are having children woefully unprepared for the experience. People used to be around family a lot more when Grandma and Grandpa and maybe an aunt lived under the same roof. We live in a society today that has us lugging babies around in 10 lb convertible carriers instead of picking the baby up and holding them close. I can bet that physical therapist offices are filled with moms and dads with strained elbows due to lugging the extra weight. Wouldn’t it be great if kids actually graduated from High School knowing the basics of child rearing and how to balance a check book?”
Yes, I think it would!!!
Niagara Living: The Blog
by Michele DeLuca
3 comments
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August 6, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Ron Allera
Hi Michele,
First, I think that a license should be required to become
pregnant. This, in effect, would be a permit obtained by
testing to determine if the various qualifications are met by
the applicant. If an unlicensed woman gives birth at a
hospital, then, at the same time, surgery would be done to
prevent a recurrence. Because we all make mistakes, I’d be
inclined to allow the mother to keep that child, unless she was
obviously unfit to raise a child.
Of course , neither your idea nor mine will ever be
implemented. We know that the cost of an abortion is miniscule
compared to the terrible public cost of incorrigibles as they
lead their disruptive lives. I believe that a woman has a
right to choose to abort within the first trimester.
The most disgusting thing is to hear a single woman who has had
several children by various men proclaim that she has a right
to do so.
Ron Allera
August 6, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Michele DeLuca
Hi Ron! Both of our ideas seem rather “Big Brother,” and so I agree that neither will be undertaken…But I do wish there was a way to help the children. I like the church supported ideas in the post I wrote above, but I don’t feel such responses are strong enough. My best friend works in Milwaukee in the inner city and she says many of the issues are deeply cultural and hard to change…She believes universal day care would be an important step towards enhancing the lives of our young people.
Michele DeLuca
February 21, 2009 at 10:25 am
JEFF W
I’m sure that most potential parents that are taking this course are the ones that need it the least .This “class” may be the most nonsensicle idea I have ever heard of ,and to tie it into a religious faith makes the diversity of participation even more ludicrous.Our society cannot keep pre-teens from spreading S.T.D.’s.We pacify kids with video games rather than parental supervision, material “goodies” and the desire to be our childrens friends instead of their mom or dad.I don’t think there are a handful of parents and grand parents from western N.Y. whose parents would be out of jail yet for what they did to the children that they loved dearly.AND IT WORKED in most families. To put more government mandated programs controling parenting , and the way BIG BROTHER thinks a family should function is totally nuts .Have you taken a look at some of the people that may try to make these laws in Washington, yep REAL MORALISTS there ,I trust them !!!!Some of them have had more wives than John Smith .