Oh Stop Your Whining!

A new day, a new blog, fresh snow. 

 

The white stuff isn't much but just enough to cause schools to delay opening for 2 hours.  I swear I thought I heard faintly in the distance a million mothers and fathers groan of frustration when this news broke, just sayin'.  But the traffic was kickass as I zoomed through nearly empty streets to work.  Total score.

 

Yesterday, at the end of a meeting, my colleagues and I were lounging around, none particularly anxious to get back to our offices, discussing the unexpected delay of schools opening on Monday.  Most of us in that room happened to be of the same generation which meant we had suffered similar childhoods (even if we lived in vastly different social-economic backgrounds) and rarely saw days off for snow unless it was a legit blizzard and never mind 2 hour nothings...either you go or you don't go and most of the time?  You went.

I remember my mother bundling us up and sending us out the door onto icy sidewalks and when we would complain about how treacherous it was she would respond nonplussed, "don't fall and if you do?  You're young, you'll heal quickly". -_- 

 

That brings to mind a question:  Are we coddling our kids far too much?  Are we, by our own hands, turning them into sniveling little entitled brats who will have none of the tools to face life as it is, challenging and full of disappointments?  Are we allowing them to believe that the path before them will be smooth and paved over as they grow into adulthood?

At the time I was slipping and sliding my butt down the sidewalks of my neighborhood, nose running, eyes stinging from the cold on my way to school, admittedly I wouldn't have minded a bit of coddling however (and this is a big however), I would not trade those unknown lessons for nothing.  Whether they did it on purpose or not, whether back then the world was far less cautious/dangerous or not, I can tell you I quickly realized that adversity was just another part of life and crying about it wasn't going to get me anywhere.

 

If I wanted something, I worked for it...period. This included, but not limited to, good grades, going out privileges or even an article of clothing that was the most recent fashion.  I don't mean I literally went out to find a factory job (that's reserved for kids in 3rd world countries *cringes*), but rather I did what I had to do like chores, being polite, lending a helping hand., not talking back (which came with far more dire consequences anyhow).  I recall how every Friday (Jumu'ah) during the summers it was my job to clean the house including the bathrooms (yuck). 

 

Sounds like child labor, don't it? 

 

What my mother had taught me was that Allah (swt) liked a clean home and while I had freedom to romp, play, laugh all the other days of the week out in the sunshine, on Friday I would stay home, take a couple of hours to do something my mother did otherwise, learn the importance of cleanliness and then I could resume those other child-like thrills.  Keep this in mind, at that time I so did not appreciate what I was doing.  I whined, cried, pouted but I still did it.

 

And the fruits of my labor?  When mom would inspect my handiwork, smile at me in the most loving manner ever, nod her head and give me a hug.  Later I would hear her practically gush to her friends as to what a great daughter I was.  No, there were no special gifts or goodies to be had, no cash-in-hand but rather just praise and that was more than enough because what could be better than a mothers praise?

 

Now though...now is a different story, isn't it?  It seems like so many of my friends have to bribe their kids with cookies or a trip to the mall, with a promise to take them somewhere special or if nothing, threats to get anything done whether it's inside or outside the home.  I think, and I realize this is coming from a woman who does not have children, that kids nowadays feel as if they deserve all that they get, just by being alive.  Yea, that so wasn't the case for me.  More or less I grew up with the knowledge that I was simply lucky to be alive at all.

 

I'm not criticizing anyone here, please don't take it as such, this is a simple commentary upon the world today.  I just don't get it when schools are closed because of literally one inch of snow on the ground or a two hour delay because it may or may not snow.  I realize there's a bigger issue due to parents work schedules but have I totally lost my mind or didn't our parents, those same who shoved us out the door and told us not to break bones and not take candy from strangers but let us go ride our bikes or walk through a blizzard, also work?  Yes, maybe this world is a more extreme version of the one I grew up in but maybe, possibly maybe we're making it extreme?  Maybe instead of escalating everything, we take it for what it is and adjust our lives around it and not let it compromise our own existences? 

 

Why is it so damn cold outside?  Because of Global Warming.  And why is that?  Because we humans are egotistical megalomaniacs.  We think we can/do control everything and Mother Nature is pushing back, flipping us the bird and saying, "screw you, this is still mine and I'mma make you pay...assholes" and showing us the consequences of our arrogance.  And in turn our kids suffer because their summers are less delicious and their winters are far more brutal.  But this is the world their growing up in and instead of saying, "Sweetie, it's okay, you stay home because a flake fell from the sky" we should be saying "yea this stinks but you need your education and not be a total burden on society...so off you go," and you throw them out into the snow (well layered) like we were. 

 

Hey guess what?  I'm still here.  I'm right here typing away (without any prosthetic pieces) therefore that strategy worked even if it sounds like it's bordering on cruel.  One of my friends told me last year that she hated to see her children shivering at the bus stop and I thought to myself, "yea but did they lose a limb, a thumb, a toe, an ear?"  Go consult with those parents and children who deal with more horrid weather up north and then we'll talk because from what I understand (having consulted plenty of friends/acquaintances) they don't get a day off no matter what's going on outside.  Sure you can argue that you've chosen to live where you do but then again nothing stays static, Buttercup, so suck it up.

 

Maybe I'm less tolerant because indeed I am not a parent or possibly because I was brought up with a certain amount of tough love but I'm grateful for it.  I don't look at a flake of snow and think that the world will be ending at any moment and that I'm in imminent danger.  Not for a second do I even consider that I don't have to do those things that I have to do, that just isn't an option and I attribute this solely to a childhood that taught me these important lessons in life.  I also do not hate on my parents for trying to get rid of me for a few hours while I was at school so they could regain their sanity.  I really was a pain in the butt when I was home and a total chatterbox who hovered about with so much pent up energy that it was ridiculous.  I admire my parents for not having shipped me off to some boarding school or ashram up in the Himalayans. 

 

Okay, day 14 is well on it's way and I'm off to eat left over Kung Pao chicken and combination fried rice.  Let's see how much of this I can choke down before I lose interest.