Is it the kids or the Parents out of control?

Today I have read two separate articles concerning children and parents. The first was about a small group of American parents who have children who are hyperactive, and the parents have decided that rather than their child having a problem, the real issue is that these children have "indigo auras" and are actually a leap forward in human evolution and will eventually save the world from itself. (okay, truth be told, I envisioned tom cruise totally buying into this thought process.)

The second article was about a specifically Japanese phenomena called "hikikomori" - which is a young boy (in the majority of cases) who has withdrawn from society, family and has locked himself in his room and refuses to come out (the majority of the time) for more than 6 months. Apparently, some hikikomori make middle of the night trips to convenient stores for prepackaged meals and music or electronics. Most hikikomori spend their days playing video games, reading comics, surfing the web, and sleeping. Their parents continue to support them -- and there are some hikikomori who have been secluded for a decade or more and some are aging into their 40s.

I just laughed at the aura people. I thought people had given up using the aura line as a way to pick up chicks. I had no idea that the chicks (and chick magnets) had spawned and were now using the aura line to excuse their children's behaviors or deny their needs. I am afraid that parents who tell their hyperactive children that they are special and will save the planet some day are just creating a bigger problem - ego maniacs who can't stick to a task long enough to do anyone any good. I understand that human parents can be tremendously competitive - and that human parents seem to think that their children are a reflection of their character and worth -- but, placing the burden of saving the planet on the shoulders of a child who hasn't mastered sitting still long enough to read a book seems a tad unrealistic.

The hikikomori baffle me. Of course, I could not escape the impulse to consider how the old lady would have reacted if I had tried to seclude myself in a small room and expect her to totally support a slacker lifestyle. I have visions of her grabbing me by the ears and flinging me out side and the door shutting rather firmly behind me.

Not being a parent myself, I understand that my input to all things parental is suspect and probably misguided. However, I think parents ought to not try to pretty up their children's needs. I'm not saying drug them into zombies - but, I'm thinking that parents ought to take the lead in advocating for their children - and accept that ALL living creatures have challenges in their lives and the true test of character is how we respond to those challenges. I worry that too often people see children as something other than other living beings --- like accessories or weapons for one-upping their friends. From my perspective, having children, and really rearing them properly is tremendously difficult on a daily basis and really ought not be undertaken by the weak of spirit.