When Bad Things Work Out

When I was in high school I used to babysit three kids just down the street. Really nice kids. The youngest one needed a lot of attention. The older two were pretty funny and smart. All around good kids. However, the father was a mean stern disciplinarian with no flexibility. Their house felt like prison when the parents were around and the mother tiptoed around him in order to make sure no one upset him. When the parents were gone the kids would laugh and have a great time like they were on vacation. One time the children revealed to me that if they did the slightest thing their dad would beat them with a belt. I do not and never believed that beating children was appropriate and moreover, effective. I also knew that these were good children, and that this type of strictness would only lead to confusion and possibly rebellion or emotional scarring. Which it did. The kids rebelled to no end and found themselves thriving for love and attention in school and outside of school. Eventually I stopped babysitting the kids. And now 15 years have gone by. Today I look up the local newspaper back home and low and behold there is the oldest son, in an engagement picture. I read the article. He works as a sociologist at a treatment center. Ahhh. A sigh of relief comes over me. Some people can see the light.