My son came back from school, reporting that a 13 year old kid had a knife and was threatening people in the school yard. Police was called and the police officer wrestled with the kid, while other kids wanted to protect their comrade. He said, they were saying the kids attacked the officer. He was no witness to the incident, so it's all hear-say. With the result, that all students were given a lesson about it. I asked my son: "And, what is your conclusion of all of this?" He shrugged his shoulders and told me "I don't know. I feel the extra given lesson was a waste of time."
I once in a while ask my son about his opinion of all what is happening. He is not engaging. Smart kid, I think :) Of course, the constant drip will form his later or present actions and thoughts, I also have no doubt. But what I can see, is, that kids are not dumb. All he wants is to have a good place where he is left in peace. He needs adults who stay calm. I admit, that I am not always this type of an adult. But I want him as much as possible to be able to make his choices. And where this is not possible (obviously) not to take over to him my despair of the currents.
No doubt, raising children is one of the biggest challenges and the most important duty of parents, and there is no cookie-cutter way of doing this. So many decisions get made. A lot of the time, people will have to go with their gut instinct on various matters. If you give children too large a dose about the reality of the world they're growing up in—I can see how that might be doing them a disservice. Yet, at the same time, if you don't give them enough, they won't be prepared for that post-graduation reality.
I guess maybe half the battle of parenting is how to convey a positive way of viewing the world and solving problems. Teaching children to see the silver-linings or opportunities amidst the dark clouds might be a recipe for surviving the stormy weather of tyranny that seems to be enveloping the globe. And you can trick people into thinking critically on any matter simply by asking them questions that force them to think. If their answers show they are not using their thoughts, you can follow up with another question.
The positive side is there is no way the school can prevent you from teaching your child how to think critically. The downside of critical thinking is that a mad world drives sane people crazy. As an aside, seeing as I did bring up critical thinking. I should specify that it has nothing to do with critical theory. If anything, critical thinking debunks critical theory by exposing how illogical and destructive it is to developing minds.
I agree.
Just wanted to ad that children do not follow so much theories, even don't understand them in the way we adults think and talk about theories. They observe their environment and realize when school offers nothing but theories. Which is mostly the case. I think I myself was born into a world where theory was more important than practice, but for some reason I kept feeling that this can not be all. Also, the different behaviors of adults gave me reason to doubt them or to be skeptical. Or, trust them. It really depends which adults a kid encounters during his or her early lifetime, and their relationship to each other.
To ignore ones other madness and talk to him/her in a way which brings reason and interest into the dialogue can build a bridge. When the world seems to become mad its even more important to find and accentuate sanity in those, one meets. I admit, that this is very difficult.