Children are not an accessory!!!

This blog originally posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Current mood: sad Category: Blogging

Right now, police in Portugal are looking for a beautiful 4 year-old girl who has gone missing and is presumed kidnapped. Madeleine McCann, daughter of Gerry and Kate McCann from England was left alone in her hotel room at a resort with her 2 year old brother and sister while her parents went out for dinner.

There has been an international outpouring of support for this family. J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter author), David Beckham (world famous soccer player), and Simon Cowell (of American Idol) have put up a multi-million dollar reward for the return of this child.

What disturbs me is what is missing from this story. Where is the outrage that these parents left three children under the age of five alone in a hotel room in a strange country?!?!?!

The worst part about this is that this kind of treatment of children is not uncommon. Latch-key kids are a problem all over the U.S. Every couple of months you here about some parent that left their kids alone while they went to the bar. Parents get divorced and then feel that it's 'their turn' and so abandon their responsibilities as they go back on the dating market. Parents choose careers that keep them away from their children for long periods or have children and promptly go back to work leaving a nanny to raise the kids. Parents who pay for every club, sport, and other activity to keep their child busy and out of the way, or worse, pay for a TV and let that be the babysitter.

Kids are not life accessories. Having a child changes your life. No, you don't get to go have fun the same way you used to. Vacations no longer are absolute freedom to you. Once you decided to procreate, you chose to give up a great deal of freedom. The simple fact is that being a good parent is hard.

Maybe no one told you this, "It's not about you!" Your job for the next 18+ years is raising an emotionally healthy and responsible adult. That means you have to sacrifice. That means you have to make hard choices. That means you have to be a grown-up.

Simply stated: If you want to do what you want, when you want it. If you want to have extra spending money and free time. If you don't like sacrifice or hard choices....Don't Have Kids!!!!!!!

I pray that little Madeleine gets home safely. Despite my disgust for her parents, I have some sympathy. The thought of losing my daughter is almost unbearable. I hope the family is reunited. But I also pray that Kathy and Gerry learn their lesson. I hope they get the message and begin to act like grown-ups. I just hope it isn't too late.

Dear Lord, please bring little Madeleine home safely. God, I pray that you would give the family strength, and help them to learn from this. Help us all to get the message. Our children are a gift from you that is not to be treated lightly. Forgive us Lord when we fall short of that. Abba Father, please save little Madeleine.