Great blog, SusanS. What I have found in my small community, is that more importance is put on sports than the basic fundamentals of learning. It's good if some one is fortunate enough to make it to the pros, but that rarely happens. A lot of parents are trying to live their dream through their kids. Neither of my parents had more than grade school education, but they instilled in us the need and want to learn. We got books for birthdays and christmas. I could have been a very good student, but I wasted my time. I barely got by solely by the fact that I loved to read. I had a very good memory. That's how I got by. Education is the most important thing a parent can give a child, next to love. Take interest in that child. Don't expect the teacher to do it all. See that their homework is done. Read to them and let them read to you. You will not regret taking an interest in your childs education.

**APPLAUDS**

Yes CB.... that is exactly what I'm talking about. Regardless of the fact that your parents didn't have more than a high school education, they instilled the importance of education in you. That is what every parent today needs to start doing right now.

My oldest grandson did not make it to college. He did go to Police Academy. But by God that youngest one is going. He is 15 now and very smart. 3.90 GPA. I don't know what he'll major in. Probably something to do with computers. SusanS, are you a teacher? Somehow I have pictured you as a teacher. Great blog.

And the biggest hand outs evidently go to our Congressmen, Senators, Judges and Presidents.

Nothing left for Main Street. It is fine if we work until some time in April just to pay our taxes every year? Doesn't that seem excessive?

Excellent point that we the people need to hold our government accountable. We now have the best government money can buy. It is truly out of control.

SusanS, I lost interest in being a teacher after 6 years. I taught in public school and it was pathetic. There was little parental support for the students I taught. Forget parent teacher conferences...I hardly had any to show up. When I was growing up, both my parents went to those. The parents expect to put them on a bus in the mornings, send them to school and for teachers to deal with all the issues. They don't want to hear anything about what has gone on that day. To me, this goes hand in hand a little with welfare reform. Folks are being rewarded for having children that they won't parent and ultimately they end up being a problem for teachers and administrators. Some are there just biding their time trying to scrape by so they can get their driver's license and they end up making it difficult for those children who really want to succeed in school. Corporal punishment never looked better! Sorry, but that's when things started heading south and I agree with the blogger who referred to this in another post. Did you know that you can only send a child to in school suspension so many times..and you especially have to be careful about their race because then it becomes racial discrimination. I'm so sick of this "politically correct" mess!!!!

I will say this: Parents had better start "raising" their children themselves, and stop relying on schools and other entities to do it. If we don't, we will be in a world of hurt....more than we already are.

Papa Smurf... I like that name... it's cute. :-) Yes, sadly politicians have been taking too many kickbacks. That ought to be made illegal. Then we would have more objective politicians. But also sadly, many Americans have been dis-empowered by government programs that give handouts, instead of educating and empowering people to become independently stable. That is where we can build a whole lot of self worth.

You are so correct Scargo. There is so many parents that are more concerned about the fancy tennis shoes, cell phones, weaves, three inch nails, and grills than seeing that the kid is learning, and showing respect and behaving in school. I think they should be punished. I had to sweep all the side-walks at school because of my smart mouth. My brother had to moves bricks and dirt when they were building new gym when he misbehaved. I don't know about my brother, but I sure learned my lesson. I never smarted off to another teacher.

There ya go CB. Good old fashioned consequences! It's the best possibility for lessons learned. :-)