One of the most confusing parts of the American tendancy to mix politics and religion (where to be Christian means you must be Republican) is the right-wing position on the role of the government. I understand how this is a “conservative” view point — I don’t understand why its a “Christian” view point.
In Canada, its the Liberal party leading the fight against government interference in the telecommunications marketplace. Maybe this is just one of those areas where Canadian politics don’t map well to American ones. (Which of course begs the question, are any Canadians really Christians according the Republican definition?!)
That’s not the point of this particular rant though. In fact, the point of this rant is that despite not being a “Republican”, I’m a little peeved with the government interfering with my children’s growth and development.
Ontario-wide our government has begun a 3-year roll out of all-day/every-day Kindergarten (including JK.) This means that 6+ hours a day, 5 days a week, if your child is enrolled in school, they must be in school.
Put another way, if we want Benjamin to experience the benefit of Jr. Kindergarten, we must relinquish our role as his primary care-taker to the public school system’s “Early Childhood Educators.” At 4 years old, a government paid employee will have more day-time access to our child than we do.
I went in today to register Ben for JK, and to ask the principle about flexibility in this new system — which will be province-wide soon, but right now is only targeted at “low income” schools. I was surprised when she opened with “I wanted to explain some of the options you have when it comes to all-day Kindergarten.”
Great, I thought, I’m not the first parent to be upset by this. Then she pulled out a brochure that explained that we could pay money to have our child come to school earlier and stay later if we wanted! Apparently there are parents who are so inconvenienced by their children, that they aren’t satisfied with having them gone most of the day, they want someone else to take care of them all day!
When I explained that we’d actually like our child to be in their care less, she clucked disapprovingly and condescendingly explained that its crucial to our son’s social adjustment and education for him to be in school as much as possible. What, the public school system has a lock on playing with other kids and large-lettered books?! We’re talking about 4 year olds here, lady.
I guess I can understand that if you’re a low income family, you want your kids in school so you can work. I’m trying to be compassionate about that, but for the government to mandate that all children must be treated that way, just because some portion of the population would find it more convenient, is a little bit insane. In our case, we’re both home almost every day — there’s rarely a time when one of us can’t be around, and when there is, there’s a line-up of wonderful Christian young ladies, or grandparents, who love to spend time with our kids. When we send Ben to school it should be for his benefit — not our convenience. And the fact that they’ll allow no exceptions to this government-dictated policy (unless you want to give up MORE of your parenting responsibility) just makes me furious!
So furious, in fact, that we’re going to seriously consider alternatives. I’m not sure we’re entirely back around to the home school discussion, but we’re definitely going to see what other options there are. Sending my 4 year old away to be raised by a stranger all day is not my idea of good parenting.
Who the heck runs this country anyway? A collaborative and democratic Internet gets sacrificied to the alter of the idiot box and our children are sent off to provincial institutions as soon as they can pee on a potty so we can go to work and make minimum payments on our credit card bills. There are days I’d give up everything we have in a heart beat, if it meant our kids could grow up in a culture that wasn’t increasingly self-destructive and moronic…
I’m going to end this, slightly crazed rant, with some quotes, cause its been said better than I can:
Give me your 4-year-olds, and within one generation I’ll construct a socialist state. — Lenin
First they came for the fathers, then for the mothers, and now for both parents in intact families. In the end all children will be in the care, custody and control of the State. — Walter H. Schneider
[The state] must set race in the center of all life. It must take care to keep it pure. It must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people.  —  Hitler, in Mein Kampf

If Bell has their way with the CRTC (which they always do) pretty soon it’ll be cheaper to buy a hard drive and stick it in the mail than it will be to go over your allotted Internet useage in Canada!
If you live here and use the Internet  (which you must if you’re reading this post) then stop, and do something about this — before Bell Canada drives us into the dark ages!
And hey Bell? Your business plan is dead — 80+ years or so was a good run. Now its time to roll over and die already. Stop getting laws changed to prop up your obsolescence!
Update: Once you’ve signed the petition, register a complaint with the CRTC and write to your MP!

This is the passion, and current ministry, of our friend Dave Brubacher, who, with his wife and two young boys, is serving in Siberia — a cold and barren place not just in weather alone.
His desire is to provide resources for pastors and spiritual leaders, many of whom have little equipping in spiritual formation, counselling or helping, and are surrounded by people with all kinds of spiritual and emotional hurt and need.
We’re blessed to have them home with us for a brief season, due to visa issues. Our kids love playing with theirs, and we are very encouraged by their family’s compassion and faithfulness. Check out their video and stop by their blog…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPPjfrE8gdw&w=500&h=304]