Monday, June 25, 2012

Carrying a gun or cell phone?



Making headlines is the Canadian Samaritan, the bus monitor and the Grade seven bullies, Theprovince.com

After watching the video on YouTube, Max Sidorov of Toronto, sound in judgement, challenged his peer to contribute to giving Karen Klein a vacation of a lifetime.  A much-needed interruption from her day job, a monitor in a very enclosed environment shared with neither fish nor fowl children.

Grade seven children commonly aged between 12-14 years are referred to as pre-adolescents.    An earlier term used by physiologists – feeble-minded children.  At this age social recognition and abstract thinking become less tied to concrete reality. They have a better understanding of action consequences. However, fantasy and reality, lies and truth are yet not clearly separated. 

In Karen’s case a vital issue might have been overlooked. Apart from unacceptable behaviour from youngsters and the disrespect shown, they were supplied with a tool that they might not have been educated on. Many families suffer from nasty text messages and footage children (and adults) inclined to send on impulse rather than thought, ABC News Article. Spoiling children with a cell phones can very well compared to giving them guns to destroy each other with. 

If there is a real need for children to carry cell phones, boundaries are highly advisable. Cell phones have to be used for what they’ve been intended to – for safety or parental reachability. Printing the text messages off and/or reading them out loud can easily enforce this covenant. Pay-as-you-go phones also control the amounts allowed.

The wide ranged reactions to this news-breaking event were also quite an eye-opener. The ongoing financial support, the tongue-in-cheek jealousy from welfare organizations, some revenge-hunger adults, the martyrs, the honest regret of youngsters and their families to name a few.

Rising to the occasion is Karen, with a seasoned understanding of children and her humble appreciation for Max, who wanted her to take a break.   Karen Klein, in her fine judgment refrained from pressing charges against the kids - "two wrongs don't make one right".

Looking at the bigger picture, a valuable lesson to be learned - there are modern day Samaritans and understanding caregivers in a fast changing world where children should have a fair opportunity to learn the moral-ethical realm of life with modern day technology at hand.

Lets us, the adults take this event, using Max and Karen to educate our adults-in-the-making on the reality of consequences to their deeds. Educators, make use of the video as a narrative to discuss harmful, unwanted bullying, cause and effects of wrongdoing, punishment, but also introducing all adults-in-the-making to concepts of kindness, respect to mankind and civil righteousness.




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