Eric's thoughts

Has anybody seen the CBS show, Kid Nation? A new reality television series that placed 40 children, ages 8 to 15, in the New Mexico desert to build a society without contact with their parents for 40 days.

Yep, that sounds like a good idea, let me send my child away for over a month with out any contact, guidance, love, encouragement, support, discipline from the people that are supposed to love, encourage, support and discipline their kids. But at least they get the chance to win a gold star worth $20,000 dollars. Where can I sign my kids up?

Is anyone else appalled by this? In fact many people are, which has filled the airing of the show with much controversy. Many people blame the producers, the idea makers behind the show. I point the finger directly at parents for even considering sending their young child off to an environment like this.

Maybe you've felt like a nice 40 day break from your kids would be a good idea. You can probably even make an argument that certain kids (maybe in the teenage range) could benefit from this environment. But kids as young as 8? In fact, one 8 year old boy named Jimmy, made the decision to go home after 4 days.

"I got really home sick," he told The Early Show co-anchor Hannah Storm "And a whole bunch of stuff wouldn't stop getting in my eyes. It was really, really cold that night. I missed my own bed and I hated sleeping on those little, little mattresses."

When asked about sending her child off to a show like this his mom replied...
"He ended up making the decision pretty much on his own," she (Jimmy's Mom) said. "After we met everyone that was involved, all the support staff and everything, I was -- I was pretty comfortable. They were definitely competent. I was pretty happy with them."

Making the decision on his own...are you kidding me? How old is this boy again? But at least they were competent, that's helpful.

However, as the old saying goes when you point the finger there are always fingers pointing back at you. Watching this show and reading the buzz about what others are saying about it, it really got me thinking. If it really is my job as a dad, to raise, guide, direct, discipline, love, encourage, support, even disciple, my kids (to name a few)then, how am I doing? It's easy for me to point the finger, sit at my desk and rant in a blog about it. It's hard for me to evaluate how I am doing as a parent.

As a parent, or maybe as someone that will someday become a parent, it might be a question that we all need to reflect on. Do I have the courage to look at the fingers pointing back at me? Do I have the courage to raise, guide, direct, discipline, love, encourage, support, even disciple, my kids? To name a few...