Washing Machines Make Terrible Baby Baths

Let’s face it; Parenting is easily the most difficult job that anyone will ever undertake.  Interestingly enough the latest national polls reflect that most parents think that they could use some help in raising their children.  I am one of those parents.  These same parents also think that education for parents would be invaluable.  So the question is why the stigma on educating ourselves as parents?

We as a society seem to put a premium on education and have developed an entire service industry based on educational expertise.  This is not new, but consistent.  For example, there are doctors and medical specialists, lawyers and legal specialists, and many other highly specialized professions.  We value the education and expertise that others provide, and seek these people out when their specific services are needed.  Why then is it so abhorrent to many of us to seek education and help with what we all agree can be some of the most difficult situations to handle?  Maybe things in the parenting world are much better than I think.  Is it possible that being a parent and raising a well mannered, well integrated and positively functioning member of society is easier than I thought it was?  I know that as a dad of two beautiful girls, I still struggle with handling those crazy family situations that seem to pop up daily.  Everyday something happens and I think to myself, that I must be the only parent this happens to.  I have not done everything right as a parent, far from it, but I recognized early on that I needed some help.  Maybe society has evolved to a point in which knowing how to handle what was once a parenting crisis is not second nature.  Maybe everyone knows the do’s and don’ts of taking care of children. Maybe….but then I open my news wire and see that a grown adult has placed a toddler in a washing machine, for fun. 

I am a Star Trek fan, not open for debate here, and as a child I would sit and consider what life would be like in the enlightened society that was depicted on the screen.  I would dream about the year 2000 and beyond wondering if we would be flying in cars or traveling through space on a whim.  So here we are in 2012 and we are putting children in washing machines.  In the words of Scotty, “Captain, I think we have a problem”.  If you are scratching your head and wondering what I am talking about, here is the skinny.  Man Puts Toddler in Washing Machine and Turns it On | Parenting - Yahoo! Shine.  A New Jersey babysitter and her male friend were at a Laundromat with their charge, a 13 month old baby boy.  Apparently, playing a game of peek-a-boo, the male friend scooped up the toddler and put him inside a front loading washing machine and closed the door.  The washing machine locked and began to fill with water.  Thanks to a quick thinking laundry worker, the machine was disabled and the baby was retrieved, a bit bruised and wet, and probably terrified.  This is the height of absurdity.  I am not going to take the time to reference the volumes of data that connect learning disabilities and maladjustment to early childhood trauma, but the fact is that this is a spotlight on why parenting education is critical for anyone in a care giving role for children.  Yes, this is an extreme example, but it is not unique.  Even if we as parents cannot find the time to hone our own parenting skills and find support, we should certainly expect those that we entrust our children with, to be prepared and knowledgeable. 

To reference the above analogy, how many of us would be comfortable being operated on by a high school graduate?  How many of us would be comfortable being flown by our next door neighbor, who has no official training?  We are not comfortable entrusting our lives to the untrained and yet so many parents turn over the lives of their children to people who have no training or specific knowledge whatsoever.  What makes this even worse is that parenting and care giver education classes are free or nearly free.  The bottom line here is that the lives or our children should not be left to chance. 

If you have questions about parenting or just want to speak with other parents who have similar issues and concerns, then I invite you to contact the nonprofit organization that I lead, The Rappahannock Area Council for Children and Parents (RACCAP).  http://www.raccap.org.  We have been the go to source for positive parenting information in the Greater Rappahannock Region for over 23 years and have been on the front lines of educating and supporting families as they venture into the unknown wilderness of parenting.  Using an adaptation from Jerry Maguire, “Help us help you and your children”, we are here to partner with you.  Every child deserves the chance to grow up in a safe, nurturing environment.

I look forward to hearing from other parents, and sharing my knowledge, failures and experiences here on the Fredericksburg Patch.  What are your thoughts on parenting?  What would you like to discuss?  Please leave your comments.