You know, Mom, being compassionate and having empathy is a very human thing. And compassion has its advantages and its disadvantages. In wartime, the guy who is willing to take risks for the benefit of others will be a desirable guy to have in the long run. People will be willing to support him, build a team around him, trust him. But it can also not be a benefit to have empathy. I mean, in every alien invasion movie the aliens can set traps using the "weakness" of the compassion of humans.
However that is also an advantage, having a strong need to rescue people in need, because a person's empathy might make that person more determined than ever to do whatever is necessary to rescue people he cares about or to support causes that matter to him.
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If you, as a parent, are concerned about how homeschooling transfers cultural values on to your children, allow me to become tiresome and redundant by reminding you:
What has your child said lately that has blown you away?
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Wow. What a wonderful, thoughtful boy you have! Hugs to you both!
ReplyDeleteHe is. I think he would be surprised to know I was typing the whole time he was musing...
DeleteYour son is quite insightful! Is he 12 going on 72? I know grown men who have difficulty articulating on such subject matter with such depth.
ReplyDeleteMy son isn't quite to that level of reasoning. But, here's one for a laugh:
it's rest time/work time around our house now (the kids rest/nap, while I work online). My son's been restless during today's rest time, so I went to check on him, only to find quarter-sized spots of saliva all over the wood floors in our living room/great room area. I went to his room and calmly, but firmly, asked him what all of the spit spots were. He shifted immediately into apology mode, and I thanked him for that, but, firmly asked again what those spots were all about. He shuffled his feet as he replied that on his way to his room, he was pretending that it was raining. [internal LOL] And then he/we cleaned up his "rain".
I LOVE those times when they are well-meaning... Give them time to explain and their thought process is just adorable...
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