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January 2004 - Innovations Newsletter
Happy New Year
Perceptions
Last year I was the lighting and sound technician for a
children’s theatre
production of Annie. With the best of intentions and without thinking it
through, I agreed, last September, to do it again.
If you’ve ever been involved with a play, you know how much time it takes. If
you ever get involved as a performer, plan to put your life on hold for 3-4
months! This weekend was the last three shows and I have my life back again!
I’ve enjoyed the experience and the adults and children in the play were
fantastic and dedicated.
I enjoy working with children, but am very sad about how careful I have to be
when I’m around them. I asked about this when I first started and was told to be
very careful until everyone got to know me.
So sad, especially when a little child wants to be hugged or comes up to you and
throws his or her arms around you. You can’t be spontaneous.
I’m just a big kid. I enjoy being with kids, going to Chuck-E-Cheese and
watching the Rug Rats. I love seeing the world through the eyes of a four year
old. Everything is new to them and it rubs off on you. But, I have to very
careful that my actions aren’t misinterpreted.
Over the Christmas holidays I listened to a conversation about Michael Jackson
and his current problems involving children. Whatever the outcome of this and
without regard to whether he is guilty or innocent, he has dealt a severe blow
to every adult who enjoys being with children.
I few years ago, while I was living in Florida, I watched a TV newscast about
children and how uncaring men were. A local TV station placed boys and girls
(one at a time) in malls and had them appear to be lost or in trouble. They were
taped and the idea was to see how many people would ignore them before someone
would come to their aid.
I wanted to wring the neck of the reporter as she was stating that not one man
came to the aid of any of their test subjects. Women did, but not men. She
didn’t get it and was very uncomplimentary about the men in her local area
No man in his right mind, these days, will go anywhere near a child who is
alone! (Unless, of course, you see the child get injured or hurt.) No matter
what his intentions he runs the risk of being arrested or detained. Woman still
have the freedom to come up to a child and interact with him or her without fear
of repercussion.
In 1996 and 1997 I worked in a summer camp with 500 children ages 6-17. If a
child wanted a hug or wanted to talk it was understood that you would hug back
or chat with the child. It was part of your job. That’s the way it should be.
(One counselor got a bit too friendly with some of the 10 year old girls and was
asked to leave immediately after the girls reported his actions.) That’s the way
it should be.
A couple of years ago I was shopping in Office Depot. I went to leave and the
cutest little toddler, about 20 months old, started to follow me out of the
store. I stopped, looked around and couldn’t see an adult shopper anywhere.
My first thought was to scoop this little guy up and take him back into the
store. But, I realized this could get me in trouble if my actions were
misinterpreted. So, I put my hands out, and herded him (without any physical
contact) back into the store. I headed him over to customer service to a female
clerk. She reached down, picked him up and started talking to him. Same thing I
would have done in another reality.
I left and hopefully he was reunited with his parents.
About seven years ago I moved to Florida. A friend of mine had an 18 month old
daughter. His wife didn’t know me, but he assured her I was “safe” to be around
their little girl. We bonded and for the next two years she was mine every
Saturday or Sunday. We had a ball together. I was her big friend with a car.
Then she moved.
It’s unlikely that will happen again. The world is different and people, rightly
so, are very protective of their little children. My grandchildren are
a long way away and too old now for the Rug Rats.
I’ve found that the same child that drives his or her parents to the brink of
insanity is a fun-loving, energetic companion on an outing with me. I explain
the ground rules and if the child doesn’t follow them, I take him, her or them
home. They get the message! (Parents don’t have that luxury, they are stuck with
them.)
I avoid getting close to children of single parents. The children quickly think
of me as their new “father”. I move around a lot and I believe it is cruel to
come into a child’s life and then move on. If the child has a mother and a
father figure already established, I can be a “big” friend or buddy to them and
then when I move they still have their parental foundation intact.
So what is the point of all this? We have millions of senior citizens, many of
whom have a void in their life that could be filled with an occasional outing
with one or more children. We have stressed out parents with kids underfoot or
kids that are so scheduled that they never stop to have fun as a family. Too bad
we can’t get kids and senior citizens together. It’s a win-win-win for everyone.
Oh yes, I love the Rug Rats, but the parents and grandparents, in my humble
opinion, should all be arrested for child neglect! But, if that happened there
wouldn’t be a story.
This months sites:
Veteran’s History Project:
“Motivated by a desire to honor our nation's war veterans for their service and
to collect their stories and experiences while they are still among us, the
United States Congress created the Veterans History Project. … The Veterans
History Project covers World War I, World War II, and the Korean, Vietnam, and
Persian Gulf wars. It includes all participants in those wars--men and women,
civilian and military. It documents the contributions of civilian volunteers,
support staff, and war industry workers as well as the experiences of military
personnel from all ranks and all branches of service--the Air Force, Army,
Marine Corps, and Navy, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and Merchant Marine.
If you have a veteran in your family, please encourage him or her to visit this
site and record their experiences for future generations.
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/vets
The Honey Locator:
Winnie the Pooh would love this site! Helps you locate honey and honey
suppliers. Lots of interesting information about honey.
http://honeylocator.com/
Blue Star Service Banner:
“A Blue Star Service Banner displayed in the window of a home is an American
tradition. The banner lets others know that someone in the home is proudly
serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. As Americans do their best to support
Operation Iraqi Freedom and the ongoing war on terror, the Blue Star Service
Banner tradition reminds us all that war touches every neighborhood in our
land.”
If you’ve been wondering where you can purchase them, here’s the site.
http://www.legion.org/support/?section=sup_bluestar&content=support_bluestar
Hopalong Cassidy:
I grew up on a steady diet of “Hoppy”, the Range Rider, the Lone Ranger and
other American western cowboy heroes. They always did what was right and set a
good example for impressionable young minds.
I got to meet Hoppy and hold his six guns when he came to my home town
(Attleboro, MA.) It was a great experience.
Hoppy was one of my favorites and he has been remembered in a Kansas Museum. I
hope you get a chance to visit it.
http://prairierosechuckwagon.com/hopalong_cassidy_museum_at_prair.htm
New Spider-Man 2 Film:
If you have a Spider-Man fan in your family check out our Spider-Man
personalized book. It features Spider-Man battling Doctor Octopus, who just
happens to be the villain in the new Spider Man 2 movie which will be in the
theatres July 2004.
http://rwrinnovations.com/productpages/b160.htm
That's it for this month. You're probably all shopped out,
so I didn't list any personalized products sites. Will get back on track with
new sites starting next month.
C U again in February.
Ron Nixon
RWR Innovations
We Make Reading Fun Again!
Issue: 1/4/2004 ISSN #: 1543-9275
Note: The websites in this newsletter are listed because I find them interesting
and have value to parents and children. They have not paid money or given me
anything to be mentioned.
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