Anger.

I am not a parent, now will I ever be one. But I know how to teach children, and I know that what's important often doesn't get taught.

I was in a park; beautiful green grass, a shimmering lake and a bevy of pigeons everywhere. They've become so used to humans, they think us feeding them is their birthright, lol. I had the most wonderful time.

Then I saw a child, and another, at different times, doing their very best to scare these beautiful birds. Kicking, chasing, running after, laughing at the way the birds tried to escape... their parents sat there, uncaring. And I'm thinking- see, this is the moment when you're a parent. This is the moment when you gather your child in your arms and teach them that compassion is a way of life, that sharing the earth is more natural that grabbing for it. That there is never, NEVER any joy or sport to be had from any other creature's fear. Ever.

I've seen a lot of parents where I grew up raise children who grow up to be jerks. They hurt people, beat their spouses, their parents even, disrespected and abused others, fell in with the wrong crowd, became addicted to substances, lived life with very little dignity. And most, if not all their parents would wail, 'But I raised him well'. No, you didn't. You might as well have put him in a pig sty and thrown food at him three times a day. You raise your children right by equipping them with a moral compass. You teach by example and by words. You teach compassion, respect, truth, equality, honor.... If at any point, they decide to throw away their compass, then that's their choice, but you did what you had to do. You parented. I shudder at the number of people I've known who brought children into this world out of duty, unthinking, or because 'babies are cute'.

And if anyone thinks I'm over reacting and says, 'children will be children', I'll say think again and think hard, because children will be adults.