Thursday 19 March 2009

Two sides of parenting

"Earlier this week, OPP charged seven other drivers with stunt driving, or street racing. The suspects were driving at speeds ranging from 155 km/h to 183 km/h. One of the drivers had no license and had two children in the car who were not wearing seatbelts."
I felt absolutely ill when I read this in a Toronto Star article. I think it idiotic that people still choose to put themselves at risk in their cars. But speeding with two kids not wearing seatbelts?

I am close to several people who, unable to have biological children, have chosen adoption. I have seen them go through endless evaluations, raise large sums of money, and wait indefinitely to be chosen as parents. And then I see parents who seem to have no regard for the safety and well-being of their own kids. How is it possible that two loving, devoted people who are desperate to care for a child are deprived, while these others "end up" with unwanted children from a string of selfish sexual escapades?

I know society tries to take responsibility for children who are the innocents in terrible situations, but what does it say about humanity that there is anyone who can't rise above a desire to please only themselves, when they have been entrusted with the care of a child?

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