Pubdate: Sun, 29 Jan 2006
Source: Metrowest Daily News (MA)
Copyright: 2006 MetroWest Daily News
Contact:  http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/619
Author: Deb  Sayre

YOUR VIEWS

I have been a social worker and youth worker for over 40 years. I 
have found that wars, such as the war on drugs, never work ... kids 
who have been taught that A) they are valuable, B) know how to make 
appropriate decisions, and C) use both skills in living their lives 
and tend not to do things that will injure themselves.

Most of us take care of the things we value and  that includes 
ourselves. Teaching children to make decisions, appropriate to  their 
age and building skills ... is the best way to transfer power and 
control  from parent to child. I believe it is our job to teach them 
how to use their  personal power and self control to live their lives 
after we are no longer  there. This doesn't happen when they hit a 
certain age, but develops with  guidance and support over a long time.

When we have reasonable, valuable kids, governed by  reasonable and 
enforceable laws, we won't have a substance abuse problem ... we may 
have people with problems, but that is a different issue. We keep 
addressing  the symptom, not the cause of the imbalance.

I realize this is a simplistic view, but I believe  it's a good start 
on another way of dealing with all the pain out there. The  cost of 
raising healthy, happy kids is just a fraction of what we are now 
spending on not doing that.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman