My husband works for the State of Washington and his department, of course, receives federal funding. This has inspired several people to ask me if I’m worried about the government shutdown.
The answer to that is yes. I am worried. We could face a furlough situation. We could find ourselves indefinitely unemployed. We have four little children and my husband’s job is our livelihood. But I’m more worried about something that runs much deeper.
As the father and provider in our home, it’s only natural that Kyle’s fear would lie with his employment. And it does. As the mother who cares for my children 24 hours a day and who is primarily responsible for their upbringing, my anxiety rests elsewhere.
The biggest fear that I combat as a mother is wondering about my ability to raise my children well in a country that seems to be fueled by irresponsibility, entitlement and moral degradation.
I hate to be the one to break the news, but our federal government is the furthest thing from responsible, that I’ve ever seen. It spends money that it doesn’t have and engages in giving things that are not its responsibility to give. Our government caters to temper tantrums and passes laws that infringe on basic, God-given rights and degrades us further. The United States is about as self-sufficient as a parasite.
So while I’m afraid for my family, I’m actually more afraid that the general attitude associated with this shutdown will define the country that I love. And although I realize that I may irritate some people . . . okay, or downright tick some people off . . . there are a few things that I feel compelled to say.
The government of the United States doesn’t owe you your job any more than it owes my husband his. When an employer is operating beyond a sustainable capacity, they cut back. Period. That’s the fiscally responsible thing to do. Going into unfathomable debt and sinking their business into the ground just so that you can keep your job sounds just as ridiculous as it is. The government is not an exception to this rule.
Secondly, increasing your debt ceiling so that you can have what you want, when you want it, is irresponsible and absurd. This is not Monopoly. This is real life. You’re never passing go and no free money will be falling into your lap. Recklessly spending to temporarily solve what you see as your current problem will only compound your problems in the future. It’s common sense.
Lastly, as a mother, teaching my children that accountability is a huge priority. We’re responsible for our choices and our mistakes. Watching those governing our nation deal with this shutdown makes me cringe. It also makes it overwhelmingly clear that accountability will not be taught outside of my home, but only inside of it.
So to answer the question again, yes, I’m worried about the government shutdown. But as much as I’m worried about the financial security of my family, my heaviest concerns lie with what is being taught to my children.
I want my children to not only learn, but have embedded in their hearts, the principles of self-sufficiency, responsibility and morality. I want them to know that they’re not an exception to any rule. I want them to understand that their freedom to choose is amazingly important, but does not exempt them from consequences. I want them to understand that we work for what we have and that nobody owes them one, single thing.
But strangely, I also want them to know that even in times like this . . . times when the poor choices of others infringe on their peace, times when no one wants to shoulder any of the blame, and times when everyone else is shouting about what they should have or what they deserve . . . even in times like this, they can stand firm and feel peace.
There is security in self-sufficiency, pride in personal responsibility and peace in morality. No one can shut that down. Not even the government of The United States of America.
