When a Correction Turns into an Opportunity

I want to warn parents about an insidious import from Japan called the Manga or graphic novel. My kids have been reading them for a while now. The problem is that they look like comic books so you wouldn't immediately think to look for content ratings, but believe me when I tell you that the rated T for Teen ones are nothing short of soft core porn.

I learned this the hard way when my fifth grader, the angelbaby got caught with one at school that she had checked out of the public library. I had no idea that the content of the ones available at the library was so graphic!!!!! Needless to say, she won't be bringing any of that trash into my house anymore.

As we discussed why it was a good idea not to read that kind of material if one wants to remain chaste, and what we both could do to make sure that nothing like this happens in the future, I got the idea that she and I should spend more time together doing constructive things. She has really gotten the short end a little as I was so deeply involved in completing my gradual school work.

We decided that from now on she and I are going to spend Saturdays together doing whatever we like to do. We began today by going to the first Farmer's Market of the season. Then we participated in an Autism Speaks awareness walk. Then we went shoe shopping because she needed new athletic shoes. And finally we ended the afternoon by stopping at church for a visit with Fr. for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (hey after our week we both could use it).

All in all what started as a moral crisis has become a great opportunity for the two of us to spend some real quality time together. We got to discuss what religion topic she wants to cover this summer while we are staying in Florida (she chose Old Testament Stories). We ran into one of the teachers from her school who sells beef from his farm at the Market. He will most probably be her teacher next year as he has been the 6th grade teacher of all four of our other kids, and he and the angelbaby have a really great relationship. She got some really cool shoes, and a cute shorts outfit while we were shopping, and I learned a great deal about how her pre-teen mind works.

I would say that this correction of ours is going to be very beneficial to us both.

Pax