Will I ever…?

Having children is a bit of a complex for me. Mostly because I’m only 18 years old, and I have many years ahead of me to think about if I want children or not. But you know how some women just ‘know’ they want kids when they are older? I certainly am not one of them.

I hate to say it but I am leaning towards the side of NOT having kids, at all. It’s a sad truth, and I have my reasons for having them, and reasons for not having them. But so far, the cons outweigh the pros. I shall list them for you, but be forewarned, I’m not looking for anyone’s judgments on this subject, they are just my thoughts on it.

I’ll start with pros first.

PROS:
1. I’ve heard that having a child is one of the most rewarding feelings you could ever experience. Maybe because you birth one out of your very own vagina? *INSIDE JOKE* Also, with my netflix movie dates, I’ve heard a lot about mothers producing hormones that essentially make you love your child with all your heart. That is very appealing.

2. Having them around when your old and decrepit. This sounds more like an excuse than anything else. Who wants to be alone when your incapable of doing things for yourself? Your children HAVE to take care of you, right?
(See cons)

3. The rewards of seeing your child become a successful human being. (Also see cons)

4. My relationship with my mother is fantastic, and if I could have that with my own daughter, my life would be absolutely fulfilled. I’m sure if I had a child my parenting skills would be very similar, and I appreciate everything my parents have done for me.

5. Giving my parents grandchildren. I’m not so worried about my mother, because I know for a fact my brother is going to settle down and have lots of children. But I’m my dads only child, and giving him the joy of grandchildren would be incredibly satisfying.

Now I’ll move to the Cons…

CONS:
1. There is no guarantee that your child will love you back. We all hear horror stories of children hating their parents, calling them names, walking all over them. This doesn’t sound very rewarding, and most of the people I know either can’t forgive their parents for something they did to them, or wanted to be far away from them.

2. There is also no guarantee that your children will be there for you when you are older. This past generation has put their parents in nursing homes, and only visits them a couple times a year. Why go through this when you can easily decide which home you want to go too, assign your own financial advisers. etc.

3. Your child could be a dead beat who isn’t successful. This is often a reflection of yourself, which explains a lot with people I knew in high school, and their parents success versus their own.

4. I love my body. Children do give you stretch marks, and make you gain weight. Excess stress also contributes to the fat surrounding your belly that won’t go away after you’ve had your child. It sounds superficial, but our culture is obsessed with body image. If only we knew the answer…

5. Financial freedom. It’s no secret kids are expensive, and settling down in a house paying the mortgage each month borrowing from banks that could falsely take you out of your home and put your children’s well-being in danger is not a happy thought for me. As well as having extra money to invest in business ideas I may have, and being able to travel on a whim. That last thought is the most appealing to me. Which goes to my next point…

6. Traveling whenever I want. It’s no secret, but I love traveling. I want to go everywhere I can, volunteer all over the world, and it’s impossible to do that with a child. Waiting till I retire is not an option either.

7. My relationship with my partner will not be at stake. Children are exhausting, and If I want to spend the rest of my life with someone, being stressed about the kids will not keep that relationship from flourishing. Granted, some couples are together to raise children, but I want to be with my partner and have him all to myself.

8. Environmental impact. We are growing exponentially. My one child that I’m not sure I want will help to not contribute to our overcrowding on this planet.

I don’t intend to sound selfish, I think selfishness is wanting to bring a little person just like you into the world. If I am going to have a child, I would do it because I wanted to raise a beautiful little being and watch them flourish. Not because I want someone around when I get old, or that I won’t be lonely if I get a divorce.

Also, if I don’t want a child, I shouldn’t be pressured into having one I don’t want. Kids are a huge responsibility, and I don’t want to raise a child that I didn’t necessarily want or didn’t prepare to raise and be a good parent to them.

What are your thoughts on having children? Anyone feel the same or different as I do?

Tags: children, having, should I have kids?, women who don't want kids

Corporal Punishment

I was watching this video here, on Corporal Punishment. Corporal Punishment is where a child in school is allowed to be physically touched by a teacher or person in a trusting position in order to instill discipline in them. This man, in the video, gives a perfect explanation as to why you do NOT touch any child for any reason. He goes into explicit detail to his abuses as a child that he experienced at his school, and it is sickening that such people exist.

In 20 states in the USA, it is legal for corporal punishment to be practiced, yet in all 50 states, it is illegal to assault a prisoner. Do you see any logic there?

My personal story, is nothing like his. My parents did NOT under ANY circumstances lay any finger on me. Their punishments were never ‘punishments’ as consequences for any mistakes that hurt myself or others. i.e. I mouth off my mom? I get no tv the rest of the night! And I loved my television. I haven’t cleaned my room when I was asked too? No sleepover that weekend!
These consequences, I feel, instilled proper discipline in me. And were almost worse when I look back. What’s worse, getting spanked and being confused as to why my mom is hurting me? Or getting something I enjoyed taken away because I was disrespectful or didn’t do what I was told.

The man in the video delves deep into the psychological reasons why children are violent, and usually it does have to do with abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual). I have never been violent, when I was a kid I never got into fights at school, I had lots of healthy friendships, and no psychological trauma I can think of.
When I stepped into the dating world, I met a boy who had experienced a violent past. Needless to say, he was very abusive towards me. And the abuse ended up making me more violent when I get angry. A year later, I have calmed to my own self, but I will never forget the abuse I was given, or the abuse his father gave him while I watched.

What do my readers think about Corporal Punishment? Is it ever okay to lay your hands on a child?

THOUGHTS!

Tags: abuse, corporal punishment, corporal punishment abusive parents, hitting children, physical, School, trust

No such thing as a Thai adventure

Some things I can’t help but be jealous of. My dad going to Thailand? Is definitely one of them.
With the ideas that sparked both of our brains from the movie ‘The Beach’, we both discussed going to Bangkok.. Together.

If you’ve been an avid reader of my blog, almost all of my adventures happen while I’m with my dad. We travel the world together, and this opportunity that he has gotten, doesn’t include me.

Though I love him to death, and my happiness for him is exponential, it’s hard to not be a tad jealous that he gets to go, and I stay home for two weeks. He tells me about his adventures kayaking around islands with caves and pristine beaches. The unbearable heat that accompanies a tropical paradise. The dreams that I had of the 18 hour plane ride, are smushed.

So, what shall I do? Should I just stay at home, mopeing as he gets to go on a great adventure without me?

Hell no! I’m having my own adventures, right in my living room I’m showing him, that I can be just as happy as he will be, being a Falong, in Thailand.

Tags: bangkok, international, kayaking, thailand adventure, trip, Vacation

The Boiler Room

Yesterday, I watched the movie ‘The Boiler Room’.

The movie stars Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, and Ben Affleck, who all work for an investment firm, making millions of dollars. Seth (Giovanni) is a college drop out, looking for a way to impress his never pleased father. He soon finds out, that the firm isn’t selling legitimate stock, is tearing people away from their life savings. It gives a realistic portrayal of what may be going on around wall-street, and has me rage about the stock market, and the corrupt people who are involved in it.

It got me thinking, is there an ethical code that tells most people, to not lie and steal money from others? Obviously, money hungry people seem to only take the high road, and do whatever it takes to get to their money goals. But, I feel as if I was the one to be doing the fraudulent trading, I would get out before I got in trouble with the law, and find something else to do with my life.

Or, maybe I’m just not money hungry at the moment.

xoxo Kenzie

Tags: fake, fraud, stock market, stocks, The Boiler Room, trading

The Gerson Therapy

Some days, my creativity sparks fly.

I research and research the things I’m passionate about on that day. Some days it’s about organic food, taking down big corporations, Illuminati conspiracies, and North Korean politics. Aren’t I a strange 18 year old?

Today, however, is the Gerson Therapy.

If you are unfamiliar with the Gerson Therapy, which, you probably will be. I should give you some background as to what it is, and why it is illegal in the USA.

*DISCLAIMER*
I am by no means promoting this treatment. This is what I have come up with by my own research, and is my personal opinion.

The Gerson Therapy is an all organic based medical treatment, where the patient consumes only raw food, that is grown organically, with no additives. It has been shown to cure cancer, diabetes, and other incurable diseases. (http://www.gerson.org/)

While watching ‘The Beautiful Truth’ on Netflix, and many other kinds of documentaries, I have noticed a common pattern in all these claims that these film makers are making. Big corporations are running our food industry, and are all interlinked between pharmaceutical companies, food companies, and governmental agencies.

The Gerson Therapy, is also illegal in the United States. The only cancer treatments that are legal, are chemotherapy, and radiation. Yet, do you really need to poison your body, to get the poison out?
It sounds so simple, that the way to be healthy, is to eat healthfully. It still boggles my mind that people still put their trust into big corporations with drugs that they take, food that they eat, and who they pay their taxes too.
We have so many resources to show that eating organically with food that has no additives, helps boost your energy and helps your immune system to fight off diseases that could otherwise cause your death.

I am no doctor, nor am I someone who is qualified enough to promote this therapy, I simply want everyone to think about what they are eating, and do some research on their own about this incredible and hidden idea buried away deep within our society.

Tags: America, cancer, Corporate, cures, food, Gerson, Raw, Therapy

I’m Converted.

After watching two and a half hours of a documentary titled, ‘Zeitgeist:Moving forward’ I have become stricken with the reality I have succumbed too while watching this non-profit film. I am a ‘Anti-consumer’. Those reading my blog I’m sure already know about this, yet my blinding lifestyle of college fees and parking tickets has diluted my sense of how much of an ‘Anti-consumer’ I really am. Though I may have posted a few articles about how much I dislike corporations and government, (because let’s be fair, government is run by those businesses). I haven’t fully realized my hippie status when it came to these kinds of things. I’m one to recycle when given the opportunity, or decide to drink out of the water fountain instead of buying a plastic water bottle. But have I really been converted into someone who would rather live in harmony with nature, instead of buying earrings at the local mall?
To recognize the things that have converted me, I guess one should start with numbering off the reasons why they decided to become someone who won’t economically support companies such as Target or McDonald’s.

1. They make you fat.

Please, God, don’t hate me. The things that these places sell are not good for the environment or our bodies. And even though a burger might taste good, your waistline won’t look good. Or better yet, might KILL you, ’nuff said really.

2. These companies support our local government, and fund their campaigns.

Whoever decided to make a company an individual is fucked up. Oh, wait, our government decided this! Let’s continue.

3. We do not have enough resources to continue our lifestyles as we know it.

I repeat, we DO NOT have ENOUGH RESOURCES. Whoever said climate change was bullshit will be the first to go.

4. I’m angry that I have become a money making machine for things I don’t need.

I have a house, a continuing education, food, we all do not need to work long hours so we can buy the fancy house or car. Health and wellness should not be a privilege, but a right. Don’t even get me started on hospitals.

5. My rant is about over.

Anyone else angry? Continue my list down in the comments why we should stop supporting these companies.
(Hey, the little guys need a voice, too)

Tags: Consumption Corporate America Stuff, Corporate, Mcdonalds, Social Impact, Target, Walmart

Afraid of the dark…

I am deathly afraid of the dark.

For some reason, whenever I sleep alone, I HAVE to have some source of light strong enough to make every detail clear in my bedroom. Even though I have my cat with me (and by God, she is stealthy as anything) I still cannot go without a light on. My body physically shakes, and tries to source every small noise or creak in my house. When I wake up, I know it’s just the water pipes, or my cat underneith my bed.

Do any of you have this problem?

It’s actually a handicap, because whenever I go to visit family, and they don’t have a small lamp, I have to sleep with the rather bright overhead light. That also, costs me sleep. It’s not that I could sleep without a light on, and get over it. Its that I CAN’T sleep without one. It’s really crippling. =/

A psychologist may try to analyze me about if something bad happened in the dark… and yes, one bad thing happened in the dark, but I was scared of it before then. And afterwards, well, I was actually okay in the dark for awhile, ha! It was my old house, I promise you, it was haunted! I was from about 4 to 10 living in that house, and I hated it. To this day, I don’t know if it was some sort of ghost, or my childish imagination, but I’m sure that my fear of darkness started then.

Tell me, are any of you scared of the dark?

xoxo Kenzie

Tags: Afraid, Darkness, Light, Phobia, Random, Scared