Friday, June 23, 2017

You've Got to be Carefully Taught

I've often been at parks enjoying the birds hopping or walking around the grass when a child will come careening through to scatter the birds while their parents laugh at their antics.

My son texted this photo of my grandson and daughter-in-law during a little hike.


What I loved was how Sarah is holding his hand and showing him how to keep his distance and enjoy the Canadian geese and their goslings without scaring them.

Do you remember the song, "You've Got to be Carefully Taught" from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific? Here is Mandy Patinkin.


It was quite controversial at the time, I understand. Apparently Georgia declared that its Anti Racism message was part of a communist agenda.

Anyway...

I really feel children must be carefully taught from the time they are little to respect others, respect nature, respect and care for the environment.

I'm happy to see my granddaughter and grandson both being carefully taught.

35 comments:

  1. I really feel children must be carefully taught from the time they are little to respect others, respect nature, respect and care for the environment.

    I'm happy to see my granddaughter and grandson both being carefully taught."

    Yes, this is so important.
    Lovely photo.

    All the best Jan

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  2. It is a most important matter in life.

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  3. we teach by our eample without words...

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  4. Such a sweet picture. And you're right, of course. :-)

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  5. yes, children learn from us. Good and bad. It's one of our greatest responsibilities, whether we accept it intelligently, or not. :)

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  6. And, as you know, having been in a school system, there are some parents who are incapable of doing this due to the chaos in their own life. Our small children are living in some hard times right now.

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  7. Respect and kindness are such important qualities in life.....

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  8. A very sweet image Kay. Sowing seeds of tolerance and kindness is the most precious of gifts.

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  9. Very nice post. I must be careful with my words. The singer is great!

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  10. Respect and kindness are very important and need to be carefully taught. I loved that song. It had such a great message.

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  11. oh i love mandy patinkin. i wonder what he is up to? you never see him anymore.

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  12. They will be taught well since you taught them. I remember that song and how much it affected me. It was so amazing to hear those insightful words in public at that time.

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  13. It always bother's me to see tiny kids chasing birds. Terrifying small animals isn't fun.

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  14. Kay respect is a very important quality

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  15. Lovely. My Dad taught us and the grandkids about treating birds correctly. The paired swans on the pond at their condo community were beautiful to watch, but very protective, so the grandkids learned very early not to bother them or get too close. Swans mate for life, and my son still has the stuffed toy swan he had as a youngster to remember all those walking trips with Grandpa.
    Glad the grandson and parents are doing well.
    Linda in Kansas

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    1. Your son definitely learned to make his life into helping animals, Linda.

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  16. I remember angry geese when I was little.

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  17. People are very fortunate that they don't get into more trouble. here we had a seal pull a little girl off a dock. People had been feeding the seal.

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  18. I had never heard that song before. I can see why it caused a stir at that time in our history.
    We do need to teach our children well in the ways that we want them to be.

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  19. That is truly a soft and gentle photo- just by looking at it you can sense the respect both are showing the ducks. Thanks for sharing it with us Kay.

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  20. This is a great post, Kay. And, it's so timely. I have never heard that some either, but I agree with that message. I feel a sadness for children that are not carefully taught, the world will not be kind to them.

    Wishing you a wonderful Sunday (tomorrow) and a great week ahead.

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  21. Hi Kay, I love the photo and the message since I'm an animal lover (as you well know)! They can come visit our menagerie any time. Love, Holly

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    1. Oh thank you, Holly. I know that Keola, Sarah and family would love to come with us to Kauai too someday. They are all big time animal lovers.

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  22. "South Pacific" has always been one of my favorite Broadway shows. Was visiting friends in St. Louis and enjoyed the Muni Opera's production with the original Broadway production Bloody Mary appearing. I thought the "You Have To Be Carefully Taught..." message was exactly on target and continue to think of it often in succeeding years -- "...you have to be carefully taught...before you are are six, or seven or eight to hate all the people you're relatives hate". Reminded me of the shock I felt as a pre-teen when we moved to the south in late '40s, early '50s encountering the repellent visible signs of segregation.

    I, too, am annoyed with parents who don't teach their children how to interact with wildlife. A few years ago my then 3 year old grandson was visiting. We took a drive up nearby Mt. Baldy Road toward the summit. At one point along the way mtn. sheep were roadside, having become somewhat comfortable with people I guess. We pulled over a short distance up the road, slowly exited the car as my son reminded and demonstrated to my grandson how we needed to be careful and not frighten the wild animals. My son was positioning and taking picture, my grandson respectfully following directions as they had slowly been able to move closer and the mtn sheep with curled horns continued grazing. Suddenly a car pulled up with young adults that jumped out of the car with their cameras, loudly laughing and hollering, and started running toward the sheep who immediately scattered, running toward the stream and more opposite mountain cliff-side sheltered protection out-of-sight and accessibility. I felt such anger those people had spoiled a lovely moment, but demonstrated to my grandson the significance of what his father was teaching him. I thought later that perhaps those young people had not had the benefit of being "...carefully taught" and I wondered what else they might not have been taught.

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    1. Thank you so much for your very eloquent, beautifully stated comment.

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  23. WE lived in Europe when my children were small. They liked to chase the pigeons. I guess that was OK (;

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  24. "South Pacific" played here at the Aloha Theater last year. Charley was in the orchestra so I got to see the show twice; the dress rehearsal and later I went to a performance with friends. I think too many people are without respect they days. They want it given to them, but have no wish to extend any to other people or things. It is sad.

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  25. Hi there, Quilly! So awesome that you're on the Big Island. I saw South Pacific at the theater a long time ago too and loved it.

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