A Story of Children

The Original Question is a concern:

How does one react when their childcare/babysitter deliberately lies and are in denial with an addiction problem? I would suggest ceasing any and all authority for them to continue the care. Even if this childcare giver is your mother, father, husband etc.. When it comes to children, you better ensure all safety and precautions are in place. Be a Smart Parent!! Coco Rosario

"You answered your own question. My suggestion is to stay home with the child reducing what many parents think are important reasons to work outside the home." - Gregory 

"For some, the "one parent" is all there is that are the sole provider for the fam....time to shuffle and be creative for many. You are right, brother. I am sure many will appreciate your comments as well." - Coco  

You are right, Coco about single parent homes, and that leaves a gaping hole in the hope of raising children without the threats to children's safety. Re-programming the thinking of the collective is the largest answer to a complex problem with simple roots. The question to ask is directed to belief systems of our culture. "Are we willing to discover what we really believe?" 

Look at the proverbs we say, but cannot incorporate into our living. Example: "It takes a village to raise a child." That African proverb is a nice cliche, but creating the intimate climate into our families of such a village, or expanding that into neighborhoods cannot happen if the cultural proverbs stresses pulling one's self up by his own boot straps. You see what I mean? 

What we say we believe. What we believe we say. What we hope for is not without work to ascend towards like flowers leaning towards sunlight. It is work to become a village because we thought the idea of progress was to move away from the village. We believe we have arrived and our society is the optimal, and that village life is beneath us.

You see the problem? The problem is the challenge. You see what is within us? Belief is stronger than religion. Overcoming social problems is spiritual work, and in a culture that prides itself in separation of church and state incorporating the spiritual principles of an African culture that does not separate Life into parts something is not going to fit, and will only exist as a proverb, a cliche in our culture. 

Now that circle I've drawn brings us back to your original concern, "How does one react when their child care/baby sitter deliberately lies and is in denial with an addiction problem?" and your observation, "For some, the "one parent" is all there is that are the sole provider for the family. (It is) time to shuffle and be creative for many..." 

- Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories 

December 6, 2013

Deborah