RSV and Merlot-swilling Irresponsibles

As much as I love my son, I'm going to have to start refusing his gifts. For example, his generosity in sharing his RSV ("Respiratory Syncytial Virus") with me, while very noble, is just too much. I'm embarrassed to accept such unexpected and extravagant gifts.

How do you know you have RSV? The signs plastered all over your son's day care that the HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS virus has been confirmed in two, no... scratch that... literally scratch it out with a pen and write over it in blue ink, FOUR cases... then scratch that out and write MANY above where you wrote FOUR... was our first clue that the week wasn't going to go as smoothly as we had hoped. A quick check on the symptoms of RSV on WebMD only confirmed our fears as we nodded solemnly while checking off each bullet point, one after another, while comparing them to Chunk's recent behavior and levels of streaming goop.

But, RSV is just for kids, right? I would have thought so, but here I sit, aching, wrapped in the shaky throes of a fever, trying to see how long I can go without swallowing to avoid the brutal pain of my sore throat. Its possible that its not actually RSV, but some other nameless, also icky bug that's going around, but for now, RSV gets blamed for everything.

My inability to sleep?

RSV.

Chunk's unrelenting whining?

RSV.

Global warming?

RSV.

The situation in Iraq?

RSV... and the Bush administration.

Melissa Summer's interview on the Today Show on Friday?

RSV and some Production Assistant named Alicia Ybarbo, apparently.

Yes, since its all the vogue to talk about women and their drinking habits around their children, I'm going to chime in with my thoughts as well. Simply put, I'm 100% behind Meredith and their psychologist guest. Women should not be drinking around their children... ever. Mothers have a responsibility to serve as pristine, even virginal examples to their children and if they're carousing around like sailors on a 48-hour leave, they're not doing their jobs. Melissa and all of the other Chianti-sipping irresponsibles out there should be ashamed of themselves, and at the very least, investigated by Social Services.

Had you going for a minute there, didn't I?

Considering my blog crush on Melissa (and many others), it's no surprise that I'm siding with common sense on this one, and not the ever-reliable and irrefutable science of psychology. I think Melissa is right and the people who look down their noses at those who drink socially are just looking for another example of irresponsible parenting. If it isn't there already, there seem to be a group of people who need to create new rules or guidelines for all to be judged by, reaffirming that they were right and even righteous, all along.

While discussing this with Denver Mom, she quickly jumped in with, "What about BBQs? Is it not okay to drink at a BBQ if kids are present?" It's a good argument and one I've seen echoed in the parent blogs following Friday's show, but I think the problem goes even deeper than that. It's not just about drinking, it's about controlling other people and how they parent. California is considering a bill that would make it illegal to spank your children, and while Denver Mom and I have decided that spankings aren't going to happen in our house, I can't really see how our decision should in any way impact another family's decision for how to discipline their child.

The same goes for any number of hot button topics that our country continues to debate, over and over again, if you call shouting and holding up grotesque signs a "debate." I promised myself I wouldn't get political on this blog. I created "Denver Dad" to talk about my son and the unexpected surprises of fatherhood, but parenting and politics sometimes collide. Whether you mean for it to happen or not, sometimes they do intersect. So, for those of you who are sensitive to personal opinion, you should probably click on another link and ignore the rest of my post.

Mind your own business.

Everyone.

Don't tell people that their decisions, because they are contrary to your own, are wrong.

Don't foul up our legal system with added legislation that isn't needed.

Don't assume that your way of doing things is right, not just for you, but everyone.

Don't believe, for an instant, that the choices families or individuals make are easy and irresponsible and that you know what is best for every situation.

Just don't do it.

If a law is being broken, prosecute, but otherwise, just mind your own business.

I'm very serious about that last one. If moms are leaving play groups, completely loaded, and are driving their children home in their speeding death-mobiles, arrest that mother. The same goes for dads. If it makes you happy, tighten the handcuffs more than you should and maybe even bump their head into the door while you're pushing them into your squad car. I don't have a problem with that. Drunk driving and child endangerment are crimes and they should be dealt with appropriately. Beating a child is also a crime, so if a spanking goes beyond a swat on the butt, deal with that appropriately. But, don't tell anyone that what they are doing is "wrong," because its different than how you do things. Don't be so quick to judge. Don't find excuses to put yourself and your thoughts above another person.

There.

I could go on and on, but for now, my rant is over. If you have a problem with it, blame RSV. I know I am.