sorry, I really do appreciate all th thouhtful responses. I am not really defensive about it, just an argumentative person. I’m ready to argue the other side now.
probably paying kids can distort their view of what is important in life. Money will liekly be the focus of their entire life. All of us are tied to the dmands of earning a living, of providing for ourselves and our families. Shouldn’t there be a period of childhood that isn’t about cash? A time of innocent exploration free from the pressures of the marketplace, free from the call of the dollar, where they can learn what it is to be human. A time that is just about figuring out what is important, and learning what they love to do, without the artificial carrot of payment from their dad? By reducing education to a fee-for-services arrangement, I’ve essentially poisoned their relationship to truth, to beauty, to art and poetry, and to the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge itself. There is nothing sicker and more distorted than paying a child to do what is natural to the child; to explore his world. Like teaching a rat to press a bar for cheese, he will always be looking for his next hit of cheese, instead of trying to get out of the cage and explore all the wonders around him.
I see that. we probably won’t do this program because my wife is strongly opposed.
Didn’t mean to criticize anyone personally. Just like to argue. when i say a person’s position is “crazy’, i guess that could be taken to be rude. All I mean is that i’m kinda trying to keep the discussion going and flesh out the issues. i was going to keep a copy of this dialogue for my kdi so we could write apaper ont he pros and cons in the event we do the program. I still think it’s a good idea and not likely to fster a lifetime of dependence. I’ve asked dozens of acquaintances and many people ahve been paid with postiive results and they don’t appear to be on welfare or dependent ont heir parents. however, maybe they are warped below the surface…
