Letters To My Grandchildren

Letters to my grandchildren-Letter TwoDear Grandchildren

Dear Grandchildren,

In case I am not around to see your teen years (I hope to be, but we never know) there are some things I want to tell you about the importance of family, family values and the influence of technology.

My grandparents lived on a farm and worked from early in the morning until the sun set. They grew their own food, milked cows, slopped hogs and were pretty self-sufficient. Grandma Layne cooked on a wood stove and washed clothes by hand until they were able to afford an electric over and washing machine. She was a great cook and as was the custom back then, the men went to the fields to work while the women cooked, cleaned and cared for the children. Entertainment back then consisted of listening to a few radio programs before falling asleep so they could get up and work hard all day long the next day. Eventually they purchased a black and white television that could get two channels if the wind didn’t blow the antenna out of whack. Grandpa’s favorite show was Hee Haw and Grandma Layne loved Wheel of Fortune.

My parents had easier lives than my grandparents in many ways. They worked hard, too, but they had more opportunities for entertainment than my grandparents. My parents traveled a bit, had a color television that got more than two channels and they were financially able to take my brother and me to the movies. I distinctly remember my dad falling asleep during Mary Poppins and snoring so loud my mother was embarrassed. I was probably 8 or 9 years old and I loved the movie. I thought it was funny that daddy’s head kept flopping side to side because he kept falling asleep.

Fast forward to 2020. Now I see what is billed as “entertainment” and it makes me cringe. Our houses are full of televisions that get more channels than Carter has liver pills. (Google that one to figure it out…it was one of my grandmother’s favorite sayings). We have cellphones that can stream movies, make tic tocs, snapchats, and a zillon other things. Video games consume hours of time that could be spend outdoors playing and often times the video games contain graphic violence. Sadly, many families don’t share time at the supper or breakfast table and if they do, they are all looking at their phones. And it’s not just in homes, I work at a school district where middle school and high school students walk down the halls like zombies between classes, staring at their phones.

Radio and television found their way into our homes and used entertainment to influence and separate the family unit. It started out innocently, with shows like I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, and Leave it to Beaver. Now it’s progressed to programs full of sexual innuendos and weak on morality. Even many commercials are not fit for children to watch. Now cellphones and computers have made their way into most homes and if your mom and dad aren’t vigilent, they are gong to steal your childhood.

I don’t want the world to steal your childhood! And I sure don’t want you exposed to what society calls “entertainment”. Television and movie stars and athletes have become modern day heroes because of their acting talents, beauty and glamorous lifestyle but fame and fortune mean nothing without integrity. Being entertained is not even in the top ten most important things when it comes to life. Concentrate on finding wisdom, increasing your faith and spend time with your family and friends. Those are the things that will bring you love, joy an peace.

Stay little as long as you can and when you have to grow up, please take your time. Do it slowly and think long and hard about each and every decision you make. Everyone makes mistakes but some mistakes are costly and life changing.

That’s enough for now. I’ll write more next week, if the good Lord is willing and the creeks don’t rise (that’s another quote from my grandmother).

I love you so,

Nana