Our oldest son is 11, youngest 7- and yes we "keep them in a bubble". We home school to keep them away from a depraved system untill they are old enoufgh and wise enoufgh to make their own decisions with wisdom from their own heart, concience and moral values.
Most of us grew up just 20 years ago in what would be in "todays world" viewed as "radically sheltered" from the public school system with prime time TV being - Welcome Back Cotter, Good Times, Happy Days and for the racy stuff..... Charlies Angles, Threes Company ect.... Nothing like what is on TV today, Nothing at all like what it was when we went to school, and nothing at all like what it was on the corner of the neighborhood block compared to todays hoodlems.
-- Much less the internet of unsupervised kids from parents that accept it at an earlier age in todays world from their own value system that over time accepted things because of the constant surroundings and workplace environments daily instilling in you conforming to "Diversity" for other peoples lifestyle choices.
Kids have to grow up 2-3 years earlier just to keep up with peer pressure for acceptance when they should be enjoying baseball, taking pleasure in growing something be it livestock or plants, fishing, ....... just care free and not worried about missed PM's to the newest music downloads.
If more parental control was taken- This young boy may still be alive to enjoy a game of baseball, a day of fishing or mabey even a simple bike ride and picnick at the park with his family.
Saddam's execution cited in boy's accidental hanging death
(1/04/07 - HOUSTON) - Police and family members said a 10-year-old boy who died by hanging himself from a bunk bed was apparently mimicking the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Sergio Pelico was found dead Sunday in his apartment bedroom in the Houston-area city of Webster, said Webster police Lt. Tom Claunch. Pelico's mother told police he had previously watched a news report on Saddam's death.
"It appears to be accidental," Claunch said. "Our gut reaction is that he was experimenting."
An autopsy of the fifth-grader's body was pending.
Julio Gustavo, Sergio's uncle, said the boy was a happy and curious child.
He said Sergio had watched TV news with another uncle on Saturday and asked the uncle about Saddam's death.
"His uncle told him it was because Saddam was real bad," Gustavo said. "He (Sergio) said, 'OK.' And that was it."
Sergio's mother, Sara Pelico DeLeon, was at work Sunday while Sergio and other children were under the care of an uncle, Gustavo said. One of the children found Sergio's body in his bedroom.
Police said the boy had tied a slipknot around his neck while on a bunk bed. Police investigators learned that Sergio had been upset about not getting a Christmas gift from his father, but they don't believe the boy intentionally killed himself.
Clinical psychologist Edward Bischof, of California, said children Sergio's age mimic risky behaviors they see on TV -- such as wrestling or extreme sports -- without realizing the dangers. He said TV appeared to be the stimulant in Sergio's case.
"I would think maybe this kid is trying something that he thinks fun to act out without having the emotional and psychological maturity to think the thing through before he acts on it," Bischof said.
Family members held a memorial for the boy Wednesday in the apartment complex activity center. Gustavo said the family is trying to put together enough money to send Sergio's body to Guatemala for burial.
"I don't think he thought it was real," Gustavo said of Saddam's hanging. "They showed them putting the noose around his neck and everything. Why show that on TV?"
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?secti ... id=4904242
What was missing from preventing that childs death was Parental Involvement --Pure and simple..... being from a broken family or not. Apparently comimng from a lack of a Father Figure for Guidance, Acceptance and Love from the article as I read it. Watch any news broadcast today and you will see that it makes up 70+ percent of the news in some form or another as being the root cause that makes up the stories of "News".
WesternBass is probably the most highest class Outdoor webpage I have ever witnessed and enjoy with every members mutual respect for each other, encouragement and understaning of differences - all the while assisting everyone in a better time enjoyed in the Outdoors.
To degrade someone over their belilefs "on both sides of the coin" over the internet is no diferent that having to listen to Rosie vs. Donald. -- But with radio, newspaper, TV and web==
you have the same power as everyone else- and that is with the power to back away from it, cut it off completely or observe everyone else's perspective and respect them for it or not.
Let your own personal convictions be your own guide in to who you wish be percieved as to others and most importantly-- yourself.
People are all just cracked cisterns, no matter how different we all are. -- It is our given nature.
PS- I could care less if Saddam hanged or rotted in prison the rest of his life- It was not my battle and those that have battled for justice and have seen the outcome.
Dan
Damn 
