Wednesday, March 23, 2011

An Interview with a Police Officer and a Father.

It has often been said that it takes a Village to Raise a Child.  This statement has raised many questions for me.  Does the Village truly have an important part in the upbringing of a child?  I wanted to interview someone that has had the opportunity to work with the public and with children as an active member of the Village and as a parent.  Officer Sam Despain has had many experiences as a police officer, as a father, and during his service in his church and community.  Sam has been working as a police officer for over eight years with the city of St. George.  During this time he has experienced all genres of people, both good and bad.  He is also a father of four children, which gives him a vested interest in how children are raised and also an informed opinion of our society and his role in it.
What part does the village play in raising a child?  Sam was able to share with me some personal experiences that showed how a village can help and support the raising of a child.  He expressed his concern for those parents who rely on the Village to raise their children.  There have been instances when Officer Despain has encountered parents who have felt that the village is responsible to raise their children and have even expressed the desire to have the village take over for the parent’s.  Even in these instances he feels strongly that the responsibility of raising a child lies with the parents.  Children that do not have the support system at home tend to struggle in all areas, more so than children who have good support system at home.  
Sam commented that the village consists of all of us.  We each have opportunities to be examples to those around us and to help when we can.  Ultimately, however, the responsibility of raising our children lies with each of us, as parents.  The village serves as a support system, not as the responsible party.

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