http://www.robertasrebornbabies.com/page0081.aspx
This website creeped me out. I was searching up “infant sized doll” and this was hit number one. Roberta clearly pays top dollar to be first. Josh and I are taking a baby care class in a few weeks so that he can have some exposure to changing a diaper, and the doll, in addition to 40 bucks and 2 hours of a Sunday, are required. I am sure that it will be a worthwhile class, but as I have been saying all along, women around the world squat, push, birth and go back to toiling in a field. Americans: we need classes and mega stores and baby nurses to do something that should theoretically be programmed in our genes to do. FYI: I am registered at Buy Buy Baby…
As I attempt to be responsible and locate a doll for the class we are not taking until February 13th, I cannot help but wonder if I will instill this sense of responsibility, perhaps a bit obsessive at times, in my daughter. I am probably diagnose-able in the DSMIV, yet aren’t we all? But, I have a list of errands for everyday of the week, plus calendar notes in my phone for things I know I will need down the road. Crazy or super organized? I go with the former…
Why am I thinking about this? The push this year in my circle of education is SEL…social emotional learning. In a nutshell, each month, we take a time out from state mandated academics to tap base (a touch would be too generous when discussing allotments of time spent) and discuss basic topics such as empathy and responsibility. All well and good, right? The flaw in this well intentioned plan is that we are discussing these ideals with tweens. These kids come to us with years of experience behind them as well as their parents’ strong influence impacting their thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Twelve to thirteen years is a long time to gather information, yet my students are not old enough to really think independently. For 35 minutes, they might be able to talk the talk, but it the minority of true gems who also walk the walk. You want proof? Come visit me at work for the 3 minutes between class changes to see how well these lessons are not internalized.
Here is a perfect example of how responsibility is just a thing of the past. One of my students consistently crosses the lines with adults, primarily female, with his constant disrespect and interferes with the learning of others, yet when called out on his behaviors, his responds with “It wasn’t me”, “You hate me”, “It was so and so…” We have probably logged hours of emails and phone calls home his parents who twist and turn every incident on the teachers, the school, the dean, the other students. In fact, one teacher called home reporting on disrespectful behavior worthy of detention (by detention we mean show up for 10 minutes) and the father said “It’s not my fault he acts this way!” Ummmm…I am not one to do in depth research, but buddy, I think you just proved otherwise. This frightens me as a teacher, a citizen of a country that I believe is going downhill fast, and as an almost mother. When will people take responsibility for themselves and their actions?
While discussing this with colleagues, my in utero child was bopping around like Baby in the dirty dancing room at Kellermans. Was she agreeing with us? Was she already rebelling? The only way to teach responsibility is to be responsible. Responsibility ranges in intensity for me. For example, my husband is responsible for putting down the toilet seat so that my cat doesn’t play with the water in the bowl and to prevent my ass from an unwanted bidet situation. My students are responsible for completing assignments on time. I am responsible for paying the bills. And so on. In my advancing age, I have become a staunch advocate of returning shopping carts to their respective locations. The other night at Trader Joes, I did just that. Well, imagine my shock when a woman parked facing me, but to the left, pointed at the cart left haphazardly between my car, her car, and the car directly in front of her but next to me, then pointed me and shook her head!!!! Was she fucking kidding me????? I am assuming that based on my youthful appearance, she assumed I was the irresponsible asshole who left the cart between our cars. But you know what? She was the asshole…all judgmental and clearly not that invested in her belief that the cart should be moved elsewhere because guess who got into her car and drove off??? Non pregnant me would possibly have gotten out of the car to scream at her (SEE: DSMIV: anger management issues/repressed anger issues), but for the sake of my unborn child’s stress level, I just laughed at how easily some people throw holier than thou stones.
Take responsibility people….it’s good for you.
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