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June 29, 2008

The mindful life…with teens in tow.

Being a parent comes with a unique set of…adventures…even more so when trying to be a mindful parent,  raising children you hope will turn into mindful adults. No matter how much you try, you can’t be sure what will stick and what won’t. Every once in a while, though, you get a glimpse. My son, his best friend, and I were in a crafts store recently, shopping for crochet supplies (yes…some boys actually think crochet is fun…gender roles are sooo 20th century!). We spent time searching through the yarns, looking for yarn that was natural and created through sustainable methods, found some that was manufactured in Canada, then looked for crochet needles.

“Dad, why do you try to avoid products made-in-China again?” This was followed by a short reminder about Tibet, human rights issues…followed by a “Why do you ask?” from me.

“These needles are bad…they’re made in China.” We found some that were made in Mexico, so my son chose the ones made in Mexico. Scissors, on the other hand, presented an issue. Every pair in the store was made in China. Every…single…pair. The conversation home got pretty intense, with my son and his friend wondering why the United States found it necessary to import so many things from China instead of making them here, and not understanding that “Because it’s cheaper” was a good enough reason for most businesses. It certainly wasn’t a good enough reason for them.

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Todd Mayville  |  Contribution: 25,920