Kim, I accept/appreciate the sentiment conveyed in your above post. I continue to feel, though, that if one must use Holy Writ to justify a position OR to instruct others, then it's important (especially given the tenor of our times) to be very sure that whatever divine dictum invoked is quoted with accuracy. With all due respect, I think you've read into the verse you cited something that simply isn't there. That directive & its accompanying promise appear multiple times in both Testaments. In every instance (and in all of the several translations I'm aware of) the adjective modifying "long life" is either "thy" or "your", NEVER "their". So, everybody, we can lighten up and be of good cheer -- God is not going to off mom & dad before their time simply 'cause (like me) you were an insufferable young hellian. On the other hand, as a result of those juvenile trangressions, we maturing delinquents may rapidly (and deservedly?) be approaching our own personal, sadly premature end of days. :-) Since, unfortunately, we're in the mode, I might as well remind the peeved here of the sacred injunction regarding the casting of stones (that would be John 8:7). To any who maintain that they were never in the grips of an irrational snit with a parent (and vocal about it) allow me to say this: Get real. I don't believe a word of it.

daisychain, We are educators as well. We hear these things frequently. The big one here (we live in a fairly poor area) is that teachers are paid too much. I wish everyone who thinks that teachers have it made would have the opportunity to volunteer in a school on a regular basis. These are the ones that never do. I am not talking about coming in to bring in goodies for a classroom party. What teachers do everyday can not even be described to those that have no experience in a school setting. There is not enough room to type it all! If you have not worked in a school setting, you can not possibly understand enough to make insulting comments on the profession. The "summers off" thing cracks me up. I think some parents honestly think that the job is done when their kids aren't actually in school. That is only a part of the job! Yes, the kids have the whole summer off, the teachers do not. But again, it is hard to make someone understand that if they do not work in this profession. We also have people in our family who have had corporate jobs that required a lot of hours and traveling. They were paid for it. That was the profession they chose. (If you are doing that kind of work for free and hating it, then I don't know what to tell you!) So when they make comments about teachers, it just makes me scratch my head. Anyone who had the ability to go to college had that option! People who choose to comment about teachers "having it made" are really insulting themselves, and making themselves look fairly silly. At least that is the way I have learned to look at it. If this is the ideal job, aren't you a fool not to take it?? (SImilar to what Olychick was saying...) There have been a lot of supportive comments from wonderful people here! We just have to understand that there are some people in this world that will never be convinced. Maybe we can even feel sorry for them that they missed out on the opportunity to be the most overpaid, underworked professional in the world ;-)

My step-father and late uncle are/were MDs. My step-father is a shrink/neuro and a spaz when it comes to anything remotely related to cleaning. He has analyzed himself and is not in denial about not wanting to clean. My uncle ortho surgeon was the exact same way. I figure after 9 million years of school, internship and a specialty there simply wasn't room left in their brain for anything else. Plus, while they were busy doing all that training EVERYONE else was learning to house keep,while they ignored housekeeping in favor of at least SOME sleep.

Hi again aprile, I've been considering your situation some, since reading your original post. You need some emotional space between you. Don't let him pull this passive-aggressive business on you. Don't let him push your buttons. How would he react if you began to rather laugh at these sillinesses? In something of a light-hearted way, not coming across as mean-spirited and bitter. I hope that you can find some ways to resolve some of these issues between you. Do you have some person who cares about you, and is level-headed and sensible, whether professionally trained or not, who can listen and be helpful as you work your way through this troubling situation? Maybe a faith-related person, who'll listen, consider your situation and you and not just offer a bunch of pre-digested nostrums, that are given as the answer to every person's need, regardless of their individual circumstance. I wonder some about your dad inhabiting his own little emotional cubbyhole - is there some way to help him get a larger view of life, and feel more at home in it? Has he dealt with counselling, or would he be amenable to such? Is there someone whom he trusts, to whom he might pay attention, were they to suggest it and encourage him? ole joyful