When my oldest was a toddler the most prize possession of mine was likely my stereo equipment. Akia real to real, latest Pioneer turntable with an expensive diamond needle and of course a Marantz receiver and amp to drive the high dollar speakers positioned just right in the corners of the living room. At the time the stereo could have been worth more than my car and house combined. These were off limits to my son. Look but don’t touch, more truthfully don’t even look too hard were dad’s constant warnings. Not heed these warnings and punishment was severe, looking back it was likely greater than the offense deserved, just short of capital punishment.
As my children aged and eyed other toys belonging to dad, I became protective of them also (the toys not the children). Scratch the car in the driveway with your bike as you squeeze down the driveway, let your baseball bounce just too close to the new dark blue two door Monte Carlo and your biking or baseball privileges are suspended. Damage the car to the point that it needs repair and in addition to the loud criticism of childish judgment you would suffer something awful close to capital punishment. Wreck the car after you learned to drive; you better just flee the country.
My children knew the items, the prized possessions belonging to dad, with which they had to be careful. They knew what items I valued most highly by the amount of punishment that would be meted out if that possession was broken or damaged. By that same logic they understood what items were of lesser value. Spill something on dad’s suit, no big deal, spill chocolate milk shake in Dad’s car and you are on car detail work for months. Touch the arm of the Pioneer turntable and risk losing your own, twist the knob off of mom’s AM radio and you are gently taught how to fix it. Yes my kids knew what I valued most.
I bet you have taught your children the same lessons. However, you likely did a better job than I of properly placing value. You likely shared your love of music and knew the stereo would become obsolete, you played catch in the front yard knowing cars can be repaired, enjoyed the milkshake since the carpet could be cleaned.
Last week Allen Stanford a 62 year old man was required to forfeit $5.9 billion and sentenced to 110 years in jail without parole for leading and participating in a $7 billion fraud. By the way prosecutors had asked for a 230 year sentence. Bernard Madoff’s sentence a few years ago for a similar crime was 150 years. Neither man will be free from prison in their lifetime. To fully serve their sentences would require someone to sweep out their ashes from their cramped cell long after they are gone from this life. Yeah this dad understands that kind of sentence.
Also last week Rayshawn Edwards age 21 was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years but not more than 40 years for killing one man and wounding a woman. The judge in that case as he pronounced sentence said Mr. Edwards walked out from behind a building with his “gun ablaze,” firing into a crowd that included children who were playing.
And society yells at its children….“You better not touch my money!”
David
