Everything Great is *Nixbased

Xmas is almost here, I’m not sure how I feel about the holidays this year to be honest. I’ve always despised the commercialization and as an agnostic atheist, like many others just see this time of year as a time to spend with family and friends. Even theists tend to celebrate in that manner often surcoming to the commercialization and forgetting what it is supposed to mean within their religion, mainly I’m speaking of mainly Christians here). I think most people know by now that the origins of Christmas are debatable with some saying that it is a celebration of the birth of the Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus Christ) and others saying it is of pagan origins dating back to Winter Solstice. No matter who’s right or wrong it can be used as a time to set aside differences and have a good time, no need for expensive gifts or religion unless that is what you truly wish for.

I don’t usually buy gifts on holidays, I prefer to give them throughout the year when I see something that reminds me of someone I care about or something I feel they would enjoy, however this year I have a little bit of extra money so I decided I would buy those closest to me each a gift. I had forgotten just how hard it is to buy for my family. Most of them buy things they want themselves and others only want items that cost an arm and a leg. It also reminded me why I don’t enjoy the material expectations of Christmas.

It does not make sense to go into debt as so many do over a holiday. People often try to give their children many gifts to ensure a great Christmas but really to do so all they need to do is make it enjoyable as they probably will not remember which gifts they were given by the time next Christmas rolls around. In my humble opinion it is imperative that we as parents instill generosity and other positive characteristics in our children instead of encouraging materialism as Christmas time often does  for many. I am not implying to give no gifts at all, but no need exists to spoil them just because it is customary. One option is to cut out specific items from catalogs and store fliers and paste them into a book to create a catalog they can choose two or three items from which will not be beyond your budget. I would also encourage them to choose an item to give someone else to ensure generosity becomes something they associate with this time of year.

Another great option for gift giving could be to make a donation to a local charity in someones name whom you wish to give a gift. Doing so is both beneficial to someone and not detrimental to your finances as you can specify how much to give. It is also usually much appreciated by the person who’s name you make the donation in.

In closing I hope this post sparks the thought processes of you my readers and hopefully reminds you that this time of year does not need to be about the amount you give or get. It is about the time spent with friends and family and the memories made.

I like many of my generation and generations before it remember growing up in a world where we were allowed and even sometimes encouraged to explore, test boundaries and maybe even have a little fun in the process. It seems in the world today this mentality has been lost. Parents are told more and more to put locks on cupboards and cabinets and constantly warned about the negative influences that exist outside the “safety zone” of their own home.

My questions are numerous such as: Why are we now a society living in fear? What will the impact be on the social interaction and social dynamics of generations to come? and Is this trend to blame for some of the lack of children’s ability to perform well in school?. It is a rather obvious observation for me that children are not as fragile as some “experts” and parents seem to think. As mentioned all you need to do to see this is review the methods used by generations passed when raising a child.

Parents of toddlers putting “child proof” locks on cupboards and gates in doorways is nothing more then a convince for the parent, or so it seems at first. By doing this you may solve the current issue of a child possibly injuring its self by getting into the cleaning supplies but in reality this child is trying to explore, understand and learn. What happened to actually watching the children and teaching them what is allowed and what is not? Why don’[t parents use and stick to telling their child things like “no don’t touch” and therefore solve the real issue of the child not knowing what it is and is not allowed to explore? It is my thought that the active roll of both parents in the workforce today may contribute to this. Parents return home from work and neither has the energy to fight with a toddler whom is set in his or her own way.

Children need to play and explore boundaries to help learn how things work, to help foster the existence of creativity as they age. By not being given such a chance to do seemingly “dangerous” things such as build ramps to jump bikes over rivers or climb the big oak tree, children will not learn the critical and creative thinking skills needed to thrive in both the educational arena and the next step known as a career.

If these kids are kept indoors more due to this “fear” parents seem to be living in they become sediment, this leads to obesity as we have seen in recent years. The other impact of being indoors so much is lack of face to face social interaction. Without this interaction it is hard to believe that a child would grow to be a well-adjusted, contributing member of society. These children seem to be becoming more disconnected with the community and instead using electronic communication to fill that void.

This brings me to the final question which has been plaguing me; “Why are we now a society living in fear?”. This is the one I have a really hard time coming up with an explanation for. It maybe due to the influence of some writers and editors whom focus on some of these issues or even the rise in the lack of peoples ability to think for themselves. Maybe even a lack of life experience. Whatever the reason however it is a cancer which is rapidly spreading and in my opinion needs to stop through proper education and a little ability to take responsibility for ones own offspring.

I would love to hear your opinions on this matter so please leave a comment if you have anything to add.

Lately I have been thinking about the things my father never taught me and I had to figure out on my own. In light of this I decided to write a list of 10 things I will be teaching my son.

Lesson #1

You can tell me anything and come to me with your problems anytime. I maybe strict sometimes and you will disagree with me but I am there for you, even at 3 o’clock in the morning when you need a ride home drunk or when someone’s going to kill you. Remember your old Dad has walked in those shoes and lived to tell about it.

Lesson #2

When someone tells you that you aren’t capable of doing something in life they are just jealous that you have goals. It is a perfect chance to prove to yourself that you CAN do it.

Lesson #3

You NEED to finish school, if you don’t you will regret it, even if here in reality the degree isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. The experience is worth it and a University degree does open doors that are otherwise tough to get open. Don’t believe everything the teacher tells you but know that the classroom is not the place to correct them. You will earn more respect and avoid the possibility of threatening their social value by approaching them when others are not listening.

Lesson #4

In general people do not do as much as they need to do, they are lazy. People do enough so that they don’t get fired and employers pay just enough that they won’t quit. Be the best, you don’t want to follow the leader and be like everyone else, not in the style of clothes you wear or the things you do. You are unique so BE unique. We are living in a world where you can be the difference.

Lesson #5

Talk with confidence and use proper English. The confident leader always attracts more people and gets you more in life then being shy and letting others walk all over you. Say please and thank you and always show that you have manners.

Lesson #6

Money isn’t everything. Friends and family are what will make you happy in the long run. Learn to see when others are using you and walk away from the relationship immediately.

Lesson #7

Alcohol and drugs will keep you from your goals and mess up your life. I expect you to experiment but avoid the hard stuff like crack, cocaine and heroin. If you do these drugs I will know and you will learn just how badly I can hurt you.

Lesson #8

You need to exercise and eat right. You will always feel better if you do. Just look at all the obese people on the street and in the fast food chains. McDonalds is NOT food.

Lesson #9

Learn to fix everything you can and always have a thirst for knowledge. It will come in handy when you’re down on your luck.

Lesson #10

The world is a big place. Travel to as many places as you can. Learn the native culture and languages. Take a cooking class while your there or learn something that is specific to that location. You will then be able to better understand and interact with all people.