Are nuclear families always best for children?

I fancy myself as a bit of a people-watcher. I also like to think. Granted I have a horrible memory and carry a notebook everywhere to write things down so I don't forget them but that is off my topic.

I have been wondering lately if there is truth to the belief that nuclear families are better than other types of families.
Based on recent observations, I don't think so. (I know this is an unpopular belief and so I will cite examples.)
Our family is perfect in every way I fantasized a family could be. A mom, a dad, 3 kids, 2 cats. For us, it works.
But what if one parent is physically or verbally abusive? Is it better for the children to have dad at home if he is abusive?
What about a parent with a chemical dependency? This one strikes a little close to home for me.
I can honestly say with full conviction that it is better to raise children in a single parent home than to put them in an environment with someone abusing chemicals. (I lump alcohol, narcotics, and prescription drugs in this category.) Having lived through seeing several addicted family members and what it can do to a family, I would NEVER want another child to witness it. It retrospect, I find it amazing that there are so many things that happen in a household that one or both parents never know about. (Even when it includes the other parent.)

Raising our children is the *MOST* important thing we will do in our lives. Sometimes one parent is not up to the task. Sometimes one parent becomes detrimental to the development of your children.
Sometimes it is better to cut your losses and move on.

New Beginnings...

Let's call this Chapter 1: Starting Over.

This post is directed at you. Yes you. I know you still don't think so but it is.
Make this moment a new beginning for you. Right now. Not tomorrow, not next week, now.

There is that one little thing about yourself that nags at you, maybe it seems huge but it is not. In the scheme of eternity, what about our lifetimes is huge?

You are not confident that you can cope with life if this thing changes. If you were, you would have already changed it. How do you gain confidence? By doing those things that make you uncomfortable. When you succeed, you are no longer afraid of them and are stronger. When you fail, you gain wisdom and are better for it.

The key to this change is silence. Do not tell *ANYONE* what you are changing. Not your friends, not your family, not your spouse/significant other. Make your change a personal thing. If you fail, no one will know and you can try again using the wisdom you gain from your first attempt. If you succeed, you will know you accomplished it for yourself and not because people were expecting you to.

www.childsplaycharity.org

www.childsplaycharity.org

Ahoy-hoy!
A wise person once told me, "I believe the children are our future."
Oh, maybe that was Whitney Houston, who isn't all that wise but is a helluva singer.

Anyways, I found out about this charity this morning. It's pretty freakin awesome.

THIS IS GREAT! BUY SOMETHING RIGHT NOW!
If you don't, Santa will hate you forever.

Voters choose a split-up for Jordan District

I have an idea.
Let's take the best school district in the state of Utah and split it up.
Here is the article:
Salt Lake Tribune - Voters choose a split-up for Jordan District

The Salt Lake Valley has a perceived class division. The "West-Side" is considered the poorer, less sophisticated area of the valley while the "East-Side" is where the more well-to-do families live.
Of course, with the recent influx of new development, there had to be a new class, the "South-Side," so that people living in the southwest section of the valley would not be considered "West-Siders."

More on point, it appears that the fine people on the "East-Side" decided their kids should no longer be classified with the "West-Side" kids and so they need their own school district so that"east-side residents' tax dollars would be directed toward east-side student needs."

Do these parents realize that the difference between the east and west side is only a couple of miles and that the west side is where most of the young, working families live?

I also find it interesting that only one west side city voted on the split, and that city was also voting on creating it's own district.

My kids are not in the Jordan district but we have always wished they were. As mentioned before, it is documented as the most successful in the state. Maxine and I both graduated in the Jordan district. Its a shame to see it broken up.