Parental Rights

Hello Everyone! Well, here is a little different blog entry. I usually try to stay on topic here and keep my entries geared toward little Olivia - but this one sort of still is. My friend, Amy showed me this flyer that she was given the other day that informed her about a new law that was about to be passed by the United Nations that just upset us both! Now for those of you who know me pretty well (as most of you do . . .), you know that I NEVER get involved in politics. However, I felt moved to at least inform people since I was completely unaware - as was she! (and yes, I know - some of you have already received an email from me about this - please read the email and pass it on if you want to help me get the word out!)

SO please, whether you are a parent, want/plan to be one some day or just have children in your lives - please read my email below and decide if you would like to help - but at least inform yourselves of what is going on out there.

I wanted to make you aware of a a new law on the horizon that is being brought up by the United Nations to be voted on shortly - "Best Interests of the Child Principle"

This law will GREATLY limit what rights parents will have to discipline their children as they see fit. Now I am not talking about just reasonable spankings here, but also even groundings!!

For example - a teen in another country where this law already exists was upset that her parents grounded her for using a drug that was legal in her country (though - still a drug!!) and her guidance counselor referred her to this law. She took her parents to COURT under this law and WON. Her parents had to lift the grounding!! Do we really want our children (and the government) to have that much power in deciding what punishments should be allowed for OUR children??

There is a solution - there is an amendment out there that removes this portion of the law for only the United States (since the law contains many other things in addition to the "Best Interests of the Child Principle"), that are fine. There is a petition that I am asking you all to review and sign if you agree with trying to stop the government from removing parental power from the parents. You don't have to be a parent to agree with this or sign it.

Here are a couple of the bulleted points you need to know:

• The best interest of the child principle would give the government the ability to override every decision made by every parent if a government worker disagreed with the parent’s decision.
  
• A child’s “right to be heard” would allow him (or her) to seek governmental review of every parental decision with which the child disagreed.
  
• Children would have the right to reproductive health information and services, including abortions, without parental knowledge or consent.
  
• Parents would no longer be able to administer reasonable spankings to their children.

(You can get the whole list HERE)

Please go HERE to sign the petition if you want to protect the parental rights in the United States and help protect our children from falling victim to one more *circumstance* that hinders them from a bright future!

Ok, that's my rant for today - please help me get the word out on this. I mean, isn't it immensely important to keep the power of raising your children with YOU, the parent!?!? How can we let the government come in between you and your child and allow the child be able to run to the government when they don't *like* the way you've grounded them! Besides, isn't that an incredible waste of governmental resources? That would give children a 3rd parent to run to when they don't like your answer (first ask mommy, then daddy and now the government??)