like plants need water, children need love

[sweetheart]

and arn't we all children in heart and soul beneath it all. It is well known that the best social investment any society can make to maximize its investment is in the first 6 years of life... lotsa freedom and lotsa love... lotsa "yes" and no "no's". There is not one amongst you who would turn away from your own mother's care and love during those first 6 years.... so what is it that in the worlds wealthiest? nation, this is not downright prodigal is a sense to the tragedy. Child wealth should be higest by an order of magnitude amongst nations, rather than gross child poverty. Hidden beneath the murky depths of the economic disenfrachisement of the middle class is child poverty, broken families and children raised without love, who fall a tremendous tremendous burden on public services statistically during a lifetime. It is some appearant perversion that these men in le government are haters of women and children, why don't they just come out and say so?

A child that feels freely embraced by all the people it meets becomes a very different adult. One that knows not bullying and repression grows increasingly wise and refined in a life, that our culture represses its finer stock by a gross-stupidity-common-culture that truly is not worthy of a mediocre country let alone a superpower... this neocon-press-culture is so montotonic in its propagandic roots, it is flat, when the world is round. It is a deathly masculine attempt to shirk citizenhood and responsibility... to build a nation around wars, occupation, dictatorships and state murder... it is terrorism of the worst kind that kills a huge swathe of very healthy healthy sorts of human citizens like doctors and lovers... people who care not for guns but for their opposite. Children who are loved learn to be lovers, and what is more valuable to society that that?

[Abe Linkman]

1. One thing I always admired about Russia is their devotion to children

As an abandoned child who grew up neglected and abused by people who taught me that "no one wanted you and we got you out of an orphanage and took you in", I know the sting of being made to feel hopeless and unable to understand the mistreatment by people who failed in their obligation to provide a loving environment and a sense of security.

Time has blurred my memory, and words have stilled my feelings. But, I remember the terror and helplessness, and that won't ever go away.

[sweetheart]

2. It leaves a scar

and like how a tree grows round a rock, if survived it becomes "character".

Loving children is a fast way to sink a thread even on DU. ;-)

[GAspnes]

3. doesn't sink it for me

I love all my sons. None get out of the house without a hug, even the ones bigger than I am.

[sweetheart]

4. you are a cool father

That, more than anything you've "said" on this forum speaks to your kind nature in my eyes.

Fathers that love their kids and really do it... how totally excellent. :-)

[scarlet_owl]

5. Totally!

I am a "professional" volunteer and I work with schoolkids. I take them on tours of the woods and teach them about nature. I see children every day who are lacking basic material needs, like coats in the winter time. I also always have at least one kid who insists on holding my hand. Lots of these kids are not getting the love and attention they need, so they seek it out from anyone that they feel is a safe person. These hand-holding kids are the ones that break my heart the most. I think a lot of "behavioural problems" can be traced back to the lack of care and attention these children live with. I have seen lots of these kids and they come in every colour and economic class. I wish everyone would make the time for children, even ones that aren't their own.

:loveya: :pals:

[sweetheart]

6. paranoia about paedophiles

In the attempt to keep all evil adults away from little kids we've created a paranoia zone... that i don't want to be near somebody else's kids lest the feel i want to grope them or some shit.... the paranoia has gotten in the way of reality... kids take parenting from where they can get it... and with young kids it is tactile... a hug and a pat on the arm are soooo powerful in emotional learning.

It is a heroic task you undertake... typical of our compassionate society that such an important task be unpaid... good luck to you. !