When they grow up....

For the most part I wanted to keep this blog fairly lighthearted, but after the inane riots in our beautiful city of Vancouver last night I have to diverge momentarily from that plan. I couldn't help wondering as I watched person after person cheer and take photos of destruction, looting and criminal behaviour - how do kids grow up to be like that?

We all work hard to teach our kids to say please and thank-you, to share with others and not put their hands down their pants in public. But I feel that sometimes these lessons are taught within an inward-focused bubble of family and friends. It is important that they form these ideas in a supportive environment, but also within the greater context of a global community.

My hope for my children is that they do grow up to be respectful, compassionate and thoughtful human beings. And that they find ways to share these traits not only with those they love and hold dear, but also with people outside of that group. I hope that they are involved in their communities, that they engage in political discourse, that they volunteer to help others less fortunate and that when they see behaviour like we saw last night they not only are appalled by it, but that they find ways to actively combat it.