Following the Crowd Over a Cliff

Training wild horses is easier than raising healthy children. Forty years ago in rural cultures in every corner of America being a good parent meant to work to raise children who developed solid values, a good work ethic, and concern for their neighbors. Kids worked hard and played hard. Scrapes and bruises were signs of an active, healthy life, not evidence of abuse.

In today's parenting ethos, being a good parent means to shelter children from physical challenges and to demonstrate one's love for a child by purchasing the latest expensive electronic gadget at the child's whim. The result is a pandemic of adolescent obesity and panic disorders, particularly among boys.

Ashley was not raised to cower back from physical challenges. Unfortunately she is part of an ever shrinking minority of kids. We recognize what a threat cigarettes are to a kid's health and as a result no parent would buy a carton of Camels for a kid. We pretend not to recognize what a threat the sedentary lifestyle that video games are to a kid's health and as a result parents contribute to the wasting away of their kid's health with computer games and a soft lifestyle.

I have no doubt that there are horse's in Heaven and computer games in Hell.