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My son came home from school today and told me they had a 'real' fire this morning. Apparently someone started a fire with gasoline and matches in one of the empty classrooms. The kids all thought it was a drill and went outside as usual......didn't know it was real until they firemen came. Nathan said the firemen had to tear up the floor in that room to get all of it out. Now, this scares me a bit. We live in a small rural community, and I guess I am just shocked that things like that can happen in our school. Last year, a boy in Nathan's 5th grade class spray painted messages on the walls in the locker rooms saying he was going to kill some of the kids. They found out who was doing it, and noone was hurt, but it did really scare a lot of parents and their children..........
Just a bit freaked right now and needed a good venting place! 
:hug:
Tracy
Wild Thyme OriginalsIt's absolutely crazy, isn't it!???? Drives you just nuts as a parent too! Right after my son Benjamin was born... I mean RIGHT after (he was maybe 2 days old.... just home from the hospital) Some one called a bomb threat into my oldest son's elementary school. They had to transport all the kids over to the high school and start calling the parents to come pick up the kids. Well, here I am with a newborn and a 3 year old... in a blizzard... bleeding all over the place... I can barely walk OR sit from the whole childbirth thing.... and I'm just trying to get to the school to get my grade schooler... knowing that he is probably confused and scared. It was awful!!!!
Turns out it was some kind of a "joke" played by a high school kid. Awful, just awful! 
One of the parents who had left work to get their child was actually in a car wreck and suffered some very serious injuries. I had to go back to the maternity ward for a day because they were concerned I might be hemoraging. Not to mention a whole school of confused school children.
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals
Newcastle, OntarioHi Tracy,
Things are really scarey now in the schools. I'm glad our kids are grown but I worry about our wee grandson. I think they are going to try and send him to private school.
I'm sorry you got such a scare but I think we all have to accept that things can happen ANYWHERE. We have always lived in small communities as well, but when our daughter was in grade seven, she had a stalker after her. The principal of her school contacted us to ask why her brother kept calling her at school, and asking to speak to her. I said her brother would definitely not waste a quarter or his time to call his sister - they did not get along, and he was also in school so it wouldn't be him. Our daughter was extremely pretty and looked a lot older than her years. She was also extremely friendly and always looked out for the kids who got picked on in school. Anyway, he called our house, the gym (when she was at gymnastics) etc. and we ended up having the police involved and it went on for months but we never found out who it was - some teenage boy I guess. It sure scared us and poor Sarah was chaparoned everywhere for a couple of years.
hugs,
Brenda
Back Road BearsWhat is happening to our world anyway!!!!!!
Television...
News...
Movies...
Video Games....
and the technology that allows all of these things to come so easily into our homes and lives and give children and adults alike waaaaaaay too many ideas!!!
Nowadays most of these things are 'copy cat' acts. Nothing original. And for anyone not quite mentally stable (hey, that's me sometimes but I don't go around being destructive!) the temptation to carry out what they see someone else get away with or think they can get away with.. they do!
Some of these kids need attention... positive or negative. This usually stems from home and lack of proper parental guidance or relationships.
And most importantly.... the world, publically anyway and especially in schools, is forced to live without God... the center of all things good and just, kind and loving.
That's my two cents anyway!
It's when things like this happen that I wish I lived in "Little House on the Prairie" days!!!
Daphne--Little House on the Prairie is my favorite all time TV show.......if we could only go back to a simpler time such as that. I agree too on the 'source' of this stuff......violence is everywhere in our society and commonplace for children anymore, while God is ignored most of the time. Very sad......and then there are the kids needing attention that will do anything to get it. The boy last year painting the threats on the walls was from a troubled home environment. I don't know what became of him as he was taken out of school.
Brenda--How horribly scary that must have been for you and your daughter! I'm sure it certainly took the enjoyment out of much of her time in high school, and the high school years are supposed to be something to remember for GOOD reasons!
Kim--OMG!! I would have been totally frantic, as you and the other parents must have been.........that had to have been the worst day.......and that 'little' prank sure turned out to be anything but. Thank goodness you didn't hemorrage and the bomb scare was just that......a scare. Those poor kids too....things like that can leave an emotional mark for such a long time!
I know our school will be actively trying to find out who did this and appropriate steps will be taken. It is scary though.........I catch myself thinking 'what if's' even though I know I shouldn't...it just makes my anxiety worse!!:(
I guess I can understand what motivates parents to homeschool their children. If I was a more organized person, I might consider it myself. Unfortunately, if my boys had to depend on me, their education might by delayed a couple of years at least........I'm a master procrastinator! 
:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Tracy
Newcastle, OntarioDaphne, I still watch Little House on the Prairie reruns every night at 7:00 p.m on Fox. I think it was (heck, still IS) a wonderful show. I also loved the Waltons. There are very few shows that I like to watch on TV now. I'm either on PBS, BBC, TLC or Discovery.
Hugs,
Brenda
Cleathero CreationsNope wouldn't want to go back to simpler times.
No electricity, not able to communicate properly with family memebers when you leave home. Only weeks and months at a time if at all. Not instantly like now.
Not able to do bear making I do as the materials wouldn't be around. I couldn't handle it.
Life is always hard but when we look back at it we think how lovely as we didn't have to live with the everyday trials. The everyday fears.
We live with problems in schools, they lived with girls being married off young and many dying in child birth or losing babies.
We live with robberies and violence.
They lived with disease, wars, violence, rustling etc etc.
We worry about our children losing their inncoence too young
They didn't have a childhoood. They worked from a young age.
It goes on. I don't blame TV or anything it is unfortunaetly human nature as the past shows us.
Back Road BearsKids didn't bring guns to school, use spray paint to send awful threats to class mates; had respect for God and their parents, didn't swear at the age of 3.... even I didn't know the f word until I was at least 10! Now I hear pre-school kids telling their mothers to @#$% off!. Adults didn't use airplanes as bombs and destroy our country's prominent landmarks killing thousands for no reason other than terrorism; die or kill someone in druk driving accidents or while talking on their cell phones while driving; they didn't spend their life savings at gambling casinos. There was no need for addicts groups, pornography likely didn't exist and certainly wasn't available in everyone's homes right on their computer screens for any age to see. And if you moved away and weren't able to communitcate with your family... well, you knew the price you were paying for going away.
Of course their are exceptions to everything... there were drunks, gamblers, murderers and bratty kids but not to the extremes there are today. As I diabetic I'm well aware that I'd be dead by now if I lived way back then as there was no treatment. All the sooner I'd get to heaven. 
It's fun to be 'romantic' or 'nostalgic' and look back on simpler times as being just that. It's OK to see things through rose colored glasses. We all know we can't go back to the days before kids carried guns to school and the computer existed. But we can dream. And we're aware of the realities they were faced with in those days. But ya know, back then, those folks also had their faith to get them through the dificult times. Now folks have drugs and alcohol and violence and if you walk into your doctor's office and complain of feeling tired, a headache, upset stomach or not sleeping he's instantly writing you a perscription for an anti-depressant. It's standard procedure now... why... are we really all depressed? Are we really all that stressed? Look at all we have to keep up with, life is a rat race now, if you don't keep up with technology, remember which beeping noise is your cell phone or your microwave or your car alarm or your home phone or your pager or your washing machine or where you wrote your grocery list... PDA, laptop, work computer, home PC, voice mail to self prehaps but on which gadget? Never mind all the errands and running around we have to do... driving alone, especially in cities, is nerve wracking enough and time consumming and our lives are so busy that we barely have enough time in a day to get the necessities done, never mind have time to spend properly with our families or to take care of our health or eat right. And that's another whole issue with all the chemicals and preservatives and other garbage in food today.... it's no wonder we have so many health problems. Then there is the TV and the news media which spreads faster and greater than a wildfire and we're filled with so much awful and stressful news from all over the world. There is something to be said for 'what you don't know won't hurt you'!
At least back then Sundays were a day of rest... for church and family. Now, in our greedy society, businesses are open, people work or spend the day trying to catch up on all that needs to be done... still no time for the real important things.
OK, I'll stop before I get you all hating me. I'm not disagreeing with you, Bronwen... you are right about the negative side of how things were. But the positives balance it out. And there are indeed positives to living in todays world, I'm not saying there aren't. But I honestly don't think things are any better today and I really fear for the children that are brought into the world nowadays.
All of these issues have been topics of discussion at my town meetings, at church and with the neighbors. We all share similar feelings and have given lectures on the effects of TV in particular at local government meetings. No offense is intended to those with babies or on anti-depressants or who don't have a faith in a higher power or who can actually distinguish which beep comes from which thingymabob! These are all just my observations, not meant to hurt anyone. Gosh, after all TT has been through lately I feel like I ought to be putting this disclaimer on every post from now on!
Thanks for letting me vent without throwing rotten eggs at me! :hug:
BEAR ME SHOOTKA:hug:
Daphne, I love you! :hug:
You said everything that reflect my mind too.
It is very scary. I didn't want to post any bad things on here. I shared only with one person on TT.
Last weekend on Easter holidays, my Dad was robbed and beaten up by someone just in front of the house.
He is at the hospital now and it's very scary when you look at your Dad don't recognise him..
Right now he is getting all the treatment but still feels very bad.
It's scary in nowadays world. :pray:
Julia :hug:
Back Road BearsOh, Julia, I'm so sorry about your dad. Yes I can understand how scary that would be. I hope he's going to make a full recovery. Your Dad, your family and you are in my prayers!
:hug:
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Oh Julia!!!!!!!I am so sorry about your Dad! I hope he will soon recover and be well. Lots of hugs for you and your family... :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
I'm not disagreeing with you, Bronwen... you are right about the negative side of how things were. But the positives balance it out. And there are indeed positives to living in todays world, I'm not saying there aren't. But I honestly don't think things are any better today and I really fear for the children that are brought into the world nowadays.
:hug:
Tracy
BEAR ME SHOOTKA:hug:
thank you, Tracy, it's very sacry especcially when your child is involved. I hope it will not become too common and your son feel safe at school. :hug:
I'm not that opened as you guys, I can't share my problems with everybody.. Just keep everything inside..
it's not very good sometimes cause we all need support..but that's just Russian me.. :redface:
Julia :hug:
Newcastle, OntarioJulia, I am soooo sorry to hear about your dad! That must have been so awful for him AND all of you. I hope he is getting better, but it will be harder to get over the emotional trauma. It must have been horrible for him, and I hope he will be better soon I am sending a big hug for all of you!
Hugs, :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
Brenda
Past Time BearsBig hugs to you, Julia . . . I'm so thankful that the worst that could have happened - didn't. I wish a speedy recovery for your dad. You will be in my thoughts. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
BEAR ME SHOOTKA:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
tha'ts just what i meant - too much attention to my person - but your words mean a world to me.. :redface: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
You are all the best that happened in my bear making life. 
Julia :hug:
Cleathero Creations
Oh no i don't mean that today is any better. I just mean that sometimes when we look back we forget about the other things that went on. my wording is someties poor and I think I have written something and I haven't. We didn't need the gizmos that kids have today but my grandparents didn't need the gizmos I had. They didn't have cars, they didn't have washing machines or things like that. It changes and it tends to cycle. kids were forced to grow up once in a hurry because they had to behave like an adult (edwardian for instance) others were and still are forced into work at very young ages.
I am hoping that raising my kids right may improve the world. i fear for them too but I don't blame the tv or music or anything like that.
We are lucky enough to live in an area where there are about 40 kids within 300 metres I kid you not. lets see 4 - me neighbour 2, across the road 2, next door to them 2, and to them another 2, 5 up the road and she is pregnant again, 4 across from them, 3 down the road, 3 next to them., 2 right at the end, 3 across from them. etc etc. The kids are every where they are in and out of everyones houses. So I think community isn't totally dead just buried under being busy. We need to think about how each of us in their own little way can improve things. And each little step is a ripple in a pond it spreads.
i also think these things happened before but TV made us more aware of what was going on. As populations grow there are more chances that these things will occur that is the odds' of it occuring.
Anyway I don't want to argue as such I agree it is terrible but things can't be blamed people are to blame.
Julia I'm sorry your dad was hurt really badly I wish him the speediest of recovery. :hug:
I'm soOOOO glad your son and his school friends are okey..... 
I ditto Daphne....
If all parents today put the same effort our mums and dads put into us... Instead of expecting them to care and entertain themselves. Things like this would be far and few between...
Long before all our modern day life fillers like tv video computers game consoles etc were invented.
Kids were FAR more innocent, with FAR less crazy notions, and FAR more contented with life.
Don't get me wrong there is a place for all these things but mixed in the right propotion, with family interaction love and respect.
Were creating a world where all this monsterous behavior is becoming the regular occurence.
Alot of children seem sadly disturbed and fear nothing now... And seem to be needing far bigger kicks....And sadly lack respect for anything or anyone not even their own lives...They see no wrong?
I HOPE MY CHILDREN DO....
Its all soooo scary...
Pandy Potter BearsI worry a little for my daughter. She is 11 in August and is going High school a week later. Its not a bad school but she has been a bit cosseted at her other school. Its a very small (100 pupils) 100year old infant and junior school. Its also a church school so they learn about lots of religions and basically are all taught in an old fashioned strict and decent manner. Old school in evey sense! Its set her up really well in terms of everything from morals to the actual teaching, but.....we know thats not real life! I sometimes show her articles in the paper so she knows although most people are good and decent there are bad people and bad things that happen. Got to get her a little streetwise.
Sometimes I despair at whats happening and I like to see the good in everyone. Its interesting when you see what happened when Jamie Oliver went in the schools and changed the school dinners to healthy food. The pupils started to calm down and concentration went up. Makes you wonder.
Jellybelly BearsGeez you guys, your stories are horrifying!!! Giving you all huge hugs!! :hug: :hug:
It is so funny, well not funny, but as a young ill person (know I harp on about this!) but it is not only the younger generation that is slipping by learning or being desensitised. You should see the shoves and trolleys up my back and rude comments I get from old people who think they are better or have more rights or I don't know what they think, but I can't be ill and slow or whatever, I'm a young ingrate who is trying to keep them up or if I can't walk around them etc...I won't go on, but seeing as tho I only get out around twice a month, it is really prevalent here. Really rude. and these are people that grew up in the times of manners etc...
Really wonder where the world will be in years to come...now this is sad and depressing!!!! The world is good too remember...and I think education is the best thing...teach and teach people empathy again and to care....
xox Sarah
Cleathero CreationsDitto Sarah. I am sorry to hear it happening to you... to anyone. Maybe tolerance is a good starting point for everyone.
Back Road BearsLisa & Lanie... my turn for a big "DITTO"!
Amanda.... good for you to have sent your daughter to the best school she could start her life out at and for keeping her in tune with reality as well. BOTH are reality, really. We can't IGNORE what goes on in the world but we can do out best to be aware, somewhat prepared but yet surround ourselves with 'good people' and do all we can to put ourselves in a good and healthy environment. Most importantly, we need to focus on BEING a good person. Childen will only know what that is if their parents and teachers take the time to teach them.
Because society accepts: what's on TV, the behavior of disrespectful kids, sends parents to jail if they so much as spank their own child (Ahem... I was spanked plenty of times... I've grown up with great respect for my parents and become a pretty descent member of society so what on earth is wrong with a spank if it doesn't turn into abuse??) accepts non-christian behavior (once the basis and foundation for how a person lived their life but without it, all that which is evil seeps in) and allows all sorts of unhealthy food, entertainment etc. into the world so our kids think all of this is OK too.
And today's kids are very often times forced to grow up too quickly and without any guidance on HOW to be a grown up because the parents aren't home, are too busy, are single parents and their just isn't enough of them to go around... the list goes on. I'm not saying this is always the case, not insulting single parents, I know many fantastic single moms whom I greatly admire. But I know many who are not so great. So being forced to grow up back in the good ol' days to work to put food on the table wasn't quite as bad because those kids still at least had role models... healthy family relations, faith, and were learning to be a responsible member of society.
Someone here has the following saying in their 'signature': BE the change you want to see in the world. Nothing could be more true. No, the world is not the way it is today because of 'stuff' as Bronwen said... but there are PEOPLE who control and govern that STUFF. And again a society or PEOPLE who accept all that STUFF. And a PEOPLE who have been forced to or choose to abandon GOD. So yes, we as individuals need to be the change we want to see.
One person can make a difference. A LOT of 'one persons' can make a huge difference.
Here enters the teddy bear...... giver of unconditional love, perfect listener, devoted friend, giving warm fuzzies to everyone he meets!
Make those bears girls!!!! 
Newcastle, OntarioCanada has always been a quieter country than the U.S., especially rural Canada, but boy we are also catching up fast. The last two mornings, the headlines in our Ottawa paper are "Girl 12, and 23 year old Boyfriend, Charged in Murder of Family" (in Alberta) and todays front page headlines were Two Grade 9 Girls Charged in School Murder Plot (that's in my home town of Kingston, Ontario). This is unbelievable to me - it seems that more and more young girls are becoming more vicious than young boys!
In British Columbia, a few years ago now, a group of teenagers were responsible for the murder of a local girl - she had problems in school, wasn't as smart as the rest of them, wasn't well liked etc. She had tried to be included in their group and they lured her into a secluded area and beat and kicked her to death and I believe they were ALL girls. I think this scares me more than anything. Where are the internal monitors that we felt as kids - I was close to my parents and never wanted to disappoint them, but NOTHING could have made me behave this way. What is it that is pushing these kids to such extremes? I just don't understand what's happening!!
I remember reading that one country (I thought it was Britain) was implementing a program right from the earliest grades, that would try to basically teach children how to behave morally and make good decisions, you know "right from wrong". I never heard anymore about it, but boy it should be a world wide program!!
Hugs,
Brenda
ToadBriarwow you guys
the world is by no means more violent - we just HEAR about everything that happens due to global
media, whereas years ago we only heard about things that happened locally, in our own communities.
I think most violent crime rates are down. How can we be desensitized to violence when we don't have
to slaughter every piece of meat we eat, can change a tire instead of shooting the horse when it gets a
broken leg, we can get our cat neutered instead of drowning a bag of kittens a couple times a year, & can
get the dog his shots instead of getting him SHOT when he comes down with rabies, distemper, etc?
We live longer, are healthier, safer, our children survive much more often, & our old people are older &
livelier by far than in previous generations. We have access to more food, more variety, & more luxury
than ever in the history of the world.
We hear about these violent offenses because they are shocking & wrong. If they were commonplace,
& no one took them as a big deal, they would not be news. It is news because it horrifies us & we want
to fix it.
Think back to "the old days" when no one heard about spousal abuse or child abuse because it was
family business, private, & a man's own concern if his wife needs a little (or a lot of) physical
'correction' now & then. It's not that it happened less - we just never HEARD about it!
You sure didn't hear about it on the news & those people sure didn't go to jail for how much damage they
did to innocents. & no victims got therapy about it, & no one thought it was something to talk about, & it was
shameful. Probably the wife's own fault if she was mouthing off smart or not getting supper on time eh!
& if she wanted to get a DIVORCE to get her or the kids away from abuse, oh my goodness well people
would talk wouldn't they. What would she do, get a JOB -what, a woman? A divorced woman? People
would talk. So you can't do that I guess. Oh & you'd better not get cancer in the good old days. I still am
not sure why, buy cancer is embarrassing & you don't mention the word. Let alone get much in the way
of useful treatment for it!
As for kids in schools doing violent stuff - isn't it generally the picked on outcasts who lash out?
You never hear about the bullies getting in trouble for picking on kids like that. Kids who have a hard
enough time cause they're awkward, shy, & get harrassed to the brink of not knowing what to do - the
ones who snap, that's who you hear about. It's never about people picking on the kid, the people pushing
him into lockers, dunking his head in the toilet, holding him down in the locker room & slapping him naked
til he cries, taking his lunch & stepping on it every day, etc. it's about what's wrong with the kid cause 'out
of nowhere he went crazy'. No parent wants to believe their own kid is a bully, or mean, or joining in with
the crowd. Even if he 'only' commits suicide, it's something wrong with him, no thought given to why he had
to feel so desperate & alone, & the bullies get to think "one less freak to stink up the hallways".
In the old days having "christian principles" didn't keep people from legally persecuting Jews & others. Nowadays
people can't get away with that sort of discrimination anymore. I don't know that "the good old days" exists very
much for people who aren't white. Heck even the Irish used to be discriminated against in America. Can you imagine? How awesome that I live in a time where I can be horrified by that sort of foolishness.
Now people are more accountable for the damage they do - ecologically & otherwise. I think we are just overwhelmed
with information from all over the world, & we are not really "wired" for dealing with more than a village-sized notion
of "our people" - ya know? So the bad stuff seems overwhelming. We hear about crimes on TV etc but it is because we
do so love to see the bad guy get caught. Imagine how much science has advanced in this area! Imagine how much science
has improved our lives even in terms of health! More babies survive, people who don't want children don't have to get pregnant
(& nothing is more sad than an unwanted child) & people with infertility problems have the best chances EVER of conceiving.
Also I can live far out in the woods but still have internet, order obscure art & craft supplies, & talk to people from all
over the world. I don't have to feel alone & I can still get my wide open woods, learn art techniques from bear artists
all over creation - & enjoy the best of both worlds!
I think this is pretty much the best time to be alive. I don't really believe in "the good old days", except
in terms of when I could fit on a Big Wheel, & climb a tree without thinking first does my insurance cover
emergency room!
Posts: 2,203Julia, I have not been on TT much lately. I am so sorry about your dad. I hope he recovers soon and yes unfortunately there are evil people in the world! Ladies I couldn't have said it better myself. Julia how is you daughter? :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
