Part II. - Philanthropists and Businesses: Your Stake in Society’s Most Precious Resource- Our Children by Mrs. Dorothy Barron
As we continue our topic, Your Stake in Society’s Most Precious Resource- Our Children, we will begin with the first sector’s role, which we have combined and consist of both Philanthropist and Businesses. Since Parents Taking Charge in Education Blog is geared to parents and their children’s education and schooling, those who serve parents and their children and parenting, we will examine each sector’s role predominantly from this standpoint.
Philanthropists and Businesses, your stake in children are utmost important, because both you and the future success of your business depend upon children; I did not say young adults, but “children.” Much of your future workforce’s habits, patterns and ethics under a number of disciplines and in a number of areas are formed in children at an early age with the controversy being, how early?
Before I continue with this discourse, I want to refer you to a two-part article written about Philanthropists’ Contributions with major emphasis on whether those contributions make a difference v. effective change? The articles with citations can be found at Slinging Stones Blog… by Mrs. Dorothy Barron under the Category, “Philanthropy” or by clicking on the following links here:
Part 1: How Much of It will Benefit those who Most Need It? Mrs. Dorothy Barron
Part II. Ways to Tell When You are Really Making a Difference by Mrs. Dorothy Barron
If you desire to acquire future success for you and/or your businesses, you will need to incorporate and bring about not only a difference, but effective change in the lives of children. Thus, my challenge to you in the form of a question becomes, what are you doing different to accomplish such? As a society, we all are very much aware that our schools and education system from an academic standpoint are not producing for the most part students qualified to meet today or tomorrow’s challenges.
After having spent at least sixteen years as an avid and often full-time volunteer in our schools and having Co-founded and served as former Director of the Organization, Parent Focused on Education, I have found that one of the major problems with our society is that it has through its actions decided that parents do not matter. It has taken it upon itself to usurp the role of parents and then questions, why parents are not involved in their children’s lives and education?
Parents have and will always influence a child more than you will ever know for there are certain bonds, genes and characteristics that will forever live within a child connecting the child to the parent(s). A thought for consideration- Children, as babies or infants could have been born or provided to parents in various forms and fashions- under a cabbage patch, from huge external incubators, a stork, etc., instead, the human fetus connected by an umbilical cord grows as a little human fetus, rests and bonds for nine months within its mama or mother’s womb.
Philanthropists and businessmen/women, money has been thrown at all kinds of projects and programs for children, why not invest in the needs of Parents, too? As I close and in addition to the aforementioned posts, may I leave for your consideration, the following:
Create jobs for Parents (form joint ventures, partnerships, be they temp or permanent)- Very often and in spite of what you hear, jobs, which parents need in order to care for them and their children are sparse, non-existent or traditional ones often without flexibility. Let us get creative and yes, risks will occur and some may see failure, but I see the creation of opportunity. You have the opportunity to assist Parents with learning to fish (becoming financially independent). Through such ventures, partnerships, or teaching others to fish, you may also find some rare jewels (talents) or treasure troves (unique skills) in which you both may benefit.
Parents need time to parent and raise their own children. Working 12 to 16 hour days are neither good for parents, children or society. There are those who insist that one needs quality of time as opposed to quantity of time with children. While I do not disagree that quality of time is needed, I do contend that one must have a quantity of time in order to provide quality time.
It is time to take the labels off- All parents, rich and poor alike require assistance with their children. Remove the labels- poor, impoverish, minority, etc. Do not give yourselves, the child or anyone else an excuse not to succeed.
Between late January - February 2011, I will be presenting and explaining to you how you and/or your business can promote, encourage and support parents and positive parenting.
Philanthropists and businesses, thank you for all you do in your endeavors to make a difference in the lives of others. Finally, I want to briefly acknowledge and publicly thank a foundation and two businesses that continued to make a difference through their contributions to both society and community during the span of my volunteer years in Education; they were 1) The Kellogg Foundation- provided community grants that reached small and struggling worthwhile community endeavors and ventures(which other grantors turned down because a track record did not exist); 2&3) Kroger and Winn Dixie Grocery Stores-made sure all community schools that requested fundraising contributions received a small contribution (in order to assist all); to my knowledge, no school went away empty-handed.
Mrs. Dorothy Barron, Author
Parents Taking Charge in Education at http://mrsdbarron.blogspot.com
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