Okay, I just have to share this situation! I was having breakfast with a few friends at Cracker Barrel when I noticed a large party which seemed to be maybe a graduation celebration or something of the sort.  There was a long table of approximately 20-25 people ranging in age from 11 to adult.  Once their food was served I watched in total shock two of the women apparently the Mom’s get up from their seats at one end of the long table walk to the opposite end where all the young people were seated, and procede to cut the pancakes of two of the boys who appeared to be 12 or 13 years old.  

I was horrified, it was all I could do to keep myself from interupting the Mom’s and explaining to them the big picture. Here’s the deal, although it seems to be a very innocent simple task being done by well-intentioned Moms it clearly sends a message.  What are they teaching their sons? The unspoken message is, “You are not capable of cutting your own food, you need me. You are helpless without me.” I am certain there are numerous other task that these Moms are not allowing their sons to carry out as well. At their age they are fully capable of feeding themselves which entails cutting their own food.  These boys will grow up to be men who depend on their wives and girlfriends to do everything, because their Moms set the stage, set a pattern for the way things should be done.  

Parents owe it to their children to teach them how to care for themselves,  and there should  not be gender separation, for certain chores, or responsibilities.  We must begin to see our children as men and women and not children. See them as the husbands, wives, moms, dads, business owners, etc. that we want them to become, and begin to train them while their at home to full fill those roles in life. Teach them, then let them loose to implement all your valuable knowledge.  What is the point of training them if you are not willing to let them experiment and venture out.

We say we want independent, successful, well-rounded children,  then we treat them like they are  still babies, which totally contradicts our desires. So think about the unspoken messages you are giving your children on a daily bases, is your behavior HELPING or HINDERING your child’s future?  

The LearnShop Parenting Classes the third Wednesday each Month 12pm.

Next Shop 7/15/09

Something to think about from Darlene, Mother of Pearls

For more helpful parenting tips check out my web site. http://web.me.com/parentingpearls

Register to receive a license in a state that allows you to sit for the ARE without completion of IDP. There are 30 states which allow early testing!  State requirements are listed on the NCARB website at  http://www.ncarb.org/stateboards/MBRfaqinitial08.asp .  This allows those un-employed, in transition, under-employed or just over-motivated, as the case may be, to begin the ARE exams now!

Listed below are the requirements per state not requiring full IDP completion:
AK (NA)
AL (Six months)
AZ (Six years of ed. and exp.)
CA (5 years of educational equivalents)
DC (Follows NCARB’s Resolution)
FL (235 training units)
GU (-)
IA (NONE WITH NAAB DEGREE AND NCARB COUNCIL RECORD)
IL (When the change is enacted, a professional degree with concurrent enrollment in IDP will allow the taking of the ARE)
IN (none)
KS (None)
KY (235 Training Units verified)
MA (ACCREDITED DEGREE)
MD (contact the Board)
MO (IDP enrollment)
MS (NAAB degree, 235 IDP training units, 6 months of work under an architect post graduation)
ND (We follow NCARB)
NE (No minimum req’d)
NM (Professional Degree required)
OH (None)
OK (Can begin prior to training)
OR (enrollment in IDP only)
TN (None)
TX (6 months)
UT (IDP Enrolled/Degree Received)
VT (8)
WA (NAAB Degree)
WI (6 years of education/experience with at least 1 year of IDP completion)
WV (none)
WY (Registered in IDP)