I'll drink to that...

Childhood Alcoholism is a silent issue that must be address.

This morning my daughter told me of an incident that happened amongst her friends at school. Keep in mind she is in the 6th grade. The second time one of her friends brought alcohol to school (which was yesterday), another middle school girl experienced the affects of alcohol poisoning. She fainted and started to have a seizure after taking a shot of this goldish color liquor. This was not the  first time someone brought alcohol to school. The child who brought the liquor, knows and expresses the fact that her mother is an alcoholic. So much to the point, this child has access to alcohol with no fear of consequences. I asked my daughter was she involved in the drinking. Her answer gave me some relief, "If it smells like it'll burn, it probably will. No thank you."

As the mother of three beautiful daughters, my fears lye in boys, education, and them becoming productive members of society. I'm not a drinker therefore, I would have never thought we would have to include alcohol in our talks about life. As parents, our job is to protect our children from harm. If our behaviors and environment is one of destruction, our children are doomed for failure. Children are a product of there environment.

Does your child's behavior reflect the environment you have provided them with? Think about it. Your son is totting guns, smoking weed, and has no sense of responsibility. This is usually due to his father being absent, his uncles being his influence, and the streets being is home. I understand parents do what they have to do to make ends meet, but at the end of the day, you're working 2 jobs and neglecting your responsibility as a parent. Your daughter has several kids, multiple children's fathers, no job, living on section 8, and she receives foodstamps and daycare assistance. Yet, she finds a way to the club every weekend but has never attended a PTA meeting, let alone knows her child's teach name. Why, you ask? Because she grew up in an environment where this is what is considered normal.

We can not continue to blame society, the police, or the white man for the way they treat our children, when as parents we have not taken the time or initiative to raise our own children.  As a community, we have an obligation to our future, take part in help to assist each other. We're afraid of other people's children and feel as though schools and teachers are the stand in when were absent. NO! That's unacceptable.