Daydreaming of Better Behaviour

I was reading an article about how different (and better) things could be with moms running the country than our current congress. It had me nodding in agreement because many times, while raising our kids and trying to instill honesty, responsibility, and compassion in the children I am caring for ... there's a bitterness in the back of my mind that comes from knowing that many of the people elected to represent their fellow Americans largely chuck all that out the window, preferring instead to bicker, grandstand, and name call.

Many are the times I read an article describing to me incredibly irresponsible, dishonest, and uncaring behaviours by those who, I am sure, were raised to behave better, and find my hand itching for my phone, so I can call their mothers. Part of me would dearly love to say "Did you know what your son/daughter is doing?" Now, I know that parents are no longer legally responsible for the actions of their adult children. That there are some who get a good upbringing, and chose to follow other paths.

This is an overly simplistic  mom dream of vigilante parenting gone back to my roots. Indulge me.

• I would love to be able to Pink Slip members of Congress. Capitol Hill would be swamped in a pink snow storm about now.
     
• There would be several new Time Out rooms, and they would consist of white walls, a hard chair, and one light bulb. Maybe a desk, where they could write their notes of apology.
     
• There would be lots of community service assignments to womens' shelters and rape crisis centers, with lengthy essays turned in afterward. Any spelling or grammar errors would results in corrections being written 50 times each on college ruled binder paper.
     
• Insults to the president would trigger mandatory lavatory cleaning at a large public transit agency.
     
• Not doing their jobs? No salary for that week.
     
• Did well at something? I'll put it (or a photo of it) on my fridge and brag to all.
     
• Did you steal or misuse money that was not yours to spend? Pay it all back, and you are so grounded for the amount of time that corresponds to the level of crime. Say hello to the Time Out room, because you will be writing a lot of letters of apology. Also, you are Habitat for Humanity's new poster child for volunteer worker.
     
• Shunning and Shaming would be new departments that have control over campaign and election funds. This is an overboard daydream, remember.
     

Oh, I could go on. But that's more for a Moms' (or Parents') Happy Hour. Meanwhile I am doing my best to show the next generations that getting along, problem solving, and being responsible/accountable are the indeed the "grown up" way to be.