Money talks

The average American child spends 900 hours per year in school… and 1,023 hours in front of the TV.  Take a look at what is ON the TV these days, and you will discover why our country has lost it’s morality.  Television is not about teaching, learning or even providing information.  It’s about making money.  Even at the expense of the entire culture, money talks.

It reminds me of a conversation I had today with a homeowner client.  We talked about quality homes and the differences between a true craftsman and a company that “throws” houses up.  The trend in the building profession is to hire the cheapest labor, the most unskilled workers and put up large numbers of homes.  The homes are not built to last as the client I was talking with today remarked, “they are built to SELL.” 

I remember listing and selling a home built in 1890.  A redwood tree actually fell on the house at one point, and it did hardly any damage.  This was a very big tree.  The home was built with a lot of quality wood, unlike homes built today.  A modern-day home would have been crushed, yet this old house came away with very minor damage.  The siding on this home was over an inch thick, and it was clear redwood siding.  The beams and floor joists were made from much sturdier and thicker wood than you can even buy today.  Solid.  That is a word I don’t use much when talking about newer homes. 

A lot of builders come and go with the times, but a few crafstmen still exist.  It’s tough for a true craftsman to survive in today’s housing market.  Buyers by and large don’t care about quality anymore, they only care about price.  When a big building company employs dozens of low wage workers, and builds hundreds of homes at once, their costs per home are very low.  The small time, quality craftsman can’t compete in terms of price.  Of course you get what you pay for, but it seems in our instant society, fewer and fewer people really care.  It’s a shame in my opinion.

My Dad is a contractor, the small time, quality craftsman I am talking about.  It’s tough for him to compete with big builders in the homebuilding market, so he has shifted his work to focus on remodels, additions, decks, fences, etc.  His work is outstanding and his personality and trustworthiness endear him to his clients.  He has a lot of work thanks to word of mouth recommendations.  There is still a niche in that better quality, more experienced contractor market, and that’s where he finds his work.  They are getting harder to find, but there still are people out there who want a quality job done by a true, honest professional.  Thank God not everyone buys into the instant gratification philosophy.  At some point, we have to go back the other way and focus on quality. 

Values, morals and family need to be resurrected in this country.  Dadsworld.com is committed to making that happen.  Children need both of their parents involvement, and all of us need strong, ethical families as the foundation for our society.

I urge you to take a look at the programming on TV sometime, and think for a minute (objectively) about whether or not you want your children regularly exposed to these shows.  Family Guy, Wife Swap, The Bachelor and Bachelorette, True Life, Real World, SouthPark, The Simpsons, Baby Borrowers, etc.  The content of these shows is sarcastic, negative and typically promotes promiscuity, drugs and alcohol, etc.  They are very shallow shows, after the cheap laugh.  No substance.

I also urge you to go online sometime and lookup the lyrics to the songs your children listen to regularly.  Lookup the top 10 pop songs or hip-hop songs.  Listen to what they are talking about.  It’s really a sad statement about the intelligence of the average person.  THIS is what sells.  Absolute garbage that passes off as entertainment.  The so- called “artists” don’t seem to care.  Money talks.

Instead of plopping your kid in front of the tube for 30 minutes, spend that time talking, playing, reading or just being with them.  Your time makes all the difference.  Take the time to talk with your kids, CREATE a family to be proud of.  You are the architect of your family, and you have a huge influence over your own children.  Let’s start promoting the RIGHT things, lead by example and stop wasting our potential (and time) on frivilous pursuits.  There is not enough time to enjoy or read the good stuff, so skip the trash. 

Each of us needs all of us.