Most people tend to associate with people of their own age,
ethnicity, and socio-economic group. It's something that was programmed
into us during all of those years of public school where we were locked
away for hours a day, isolated with children of the same age. We
learned to almost fear those kids in the older grades. Sure we may have
looked up to them, but never were they allowed to impart any wisdom (at
least not any that was condoned) into those of younger grades. I see
the same mindset in adults. They associate in their little groups of
homogeneous age, religion, etc., never opening themselves up to what
others different than them selves have to offer.
I guess I am mostly referring to age and life experience here. I've
seen so many people recently take their concerns about parenting
specifically, to other parents in the same boat. For example, why does a
mom of a breastfeeding infant ask moms of other breastfeeding infants
for information? It's because we've not been taught to associate with
our elders. We spent all of those years stuffed away with our peers.
This isn't just about parenting issues either. I've seen people do this
with money, marriage, just about any life topic.
It makes a lot more sense to utilize the knowledge of those who've
gone before us. Life experience should be treasured as a special
knowledge that can't be found in books or on the internet. People
should seek it out. Why should we spend so much time wandering and
fumbling around in the dark when people are there to flip on the switch
for us if we only ask?
I realize I need to follow the suggestions of my own rant. I'm just
feeling like a seriously underutilized resource lately. Do you realize
how many cloth diapers I've washed in my parenting life? There are just
some things better learned from someone who's been there (time and time
again) than from a website.
Okay. I'm putting my soap box away for now.
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