Is This Really News?

Most mornings I flip on The Today Show to get a brief update of what is going on in the world today. This morning I had the fortunate timing to tune in right as they began yet another story about Britney and K-Fed (or Fed-Ex, personally my favorite moniker). This time, Meredith Vieira had an exclusive interview with Federline's divorce attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan.

As I watched this interview (with the graphic "Exclusive Interview" up at the top of the screen), I couldn't help but ask myself outloud, "Is this really news?" The interview focused on the heated custody battle between Brit and Fed-Ex and which parent (and I use the term parent very loosly) would have primary custody of the two boys. There was a recent court order that stated that Brit had to have eight hours of parental counseling per week, could not use drugs or alcohol at least 12 hour prior to a visit with the kids, and Brit was subject to random drug testing.

Are you freakin' kidding me?

The fact that the court had to order that Brit take classes on how to be a parent and to not use drugs before being with her kids is proof that Brit doesn't need to be around her kids at all. Is it really hard to decide for yourself that one lay off the crack pipe before you watch your own children? Come on!

Kaplan went on to say that Federline was seeking primary custody and was concerned about the welfare of his two young children. Riiiiigghhht.....Fed-Ex is obviously the best choice in this scenario. Again, are you freakin' kidding me? Why not take the children away? We've all seen their track record played out on national television. What a sad, sad world we live in.

What most people fail to realize is the root of all these problems goes back to parenting and personal responsibility. I'll say it again to make myself clear:

Parenting and personal responsibility

No one gets those two concepts anymore. And I'm not just talking about celebrities. Everyday people in the communities we live in are plagued with bad parenting skills and a sense of entitlement. That's right - if more parents actually disciplined their children, I serious doubt our society would be plagued with the problems that we are facing today. Take responsibility for your children, and your own life. No one owes you anything. Take personal responsibility for your actions. No one owes me a driver's license. I earned that by passing an eye exam, passing a written test, paying the fees and not getting DUIs or accumulating speeding tickets. I earned my driver's license.

Now, I am not a parent. I hope to be one someday, and when I am, I can guarantee you that my children are going to understand the concept of personal responsibility. And I can guarantee you that my husband and I will lay down the firm hand of discipline whenever necessary. I can also say with fair certainity that I will be screening everything they watch on television, including the so-called "news."