My Grown Up Christmas List

Typically, around this time of year I begin making up my wish list. I want what I want every year, only it's never available at the Mall. After working with kids through the past couple of Christmas seasons, I wish parents wouldn't screw up their children. The number one thing I see is that kids just need parents to listen to them, to take a few minutes and sit down and listen to them. The number two thing I see is that I wish people that weren't going to stick a marriage out for more than 5 min. wouldn't have kids. I have so many kids that get jockeyed from house to house, that have parents pitted against one another. Kids with so many multiple "step" siblings you need footnotes just to figure out whi is related to who. Mom and Dad, once close enough to have kids, can't even have a civil conversation. Kids having to choose which parent's house to live in. Kids having no father in their lives. Single mom's working 3 jobs to make up for a deadbeat dad. Over half the kids I see have family problems. So this Christmas, I wish people would try a little harder to make their children's lives easier. By that, I don't mean throwing stuff at them, I mean spending time with them and putting them first. I have had nothing but kids in crisis this past week because of the approaching holiday. I'd like nothing better than not to have a line at my door, not because I don't want to work, but because I don't want to see kids in tears. As much as I'd like an ipod for Christmas, my wish is that parents could see what they do to their children and work to make it better.