Pubs in a Fairy Tale World

What an amazing few days in Vancouver.  Sunny, warm.  My family and I went for a nice walk through some local woods and down to a beach in our neighbourhood.  We worked up a pretty good appetite.  On our way back we wanted to grab some food so we considered our options.  Fast food junk places and coffee shops.  More appealing was a new pub which opened up a while back.  I have been there once.  The food is OK, the decor is nice, the drinks are better.  It may not be perfect but it is a nice place to hang out on a sunny day and would have been a nice option.  Unfortunately we could not go there.  Why?  Our children were with us.  You see, they are six and nine years old.  Our lawmakers believe that my two children would get corrupted by what they saw happening in this neighbourhood pub.  A glass filled with wine or beer would be raised, the liquid drunk.  Food would be eaten.  Sports would be playing on the televisions.  Pop/rock music would be playing on the sound system.  Boy.....sounds real different from what happens in most homes in North America on a weekend.

My children first tasted wine and beer when they were two or three years old.  My daughter hates them both.  My son likes beer.  Every now and then he takes a sip from my glass.  I would not be taking my kids out to this pub at 11pm on a Friday night because I don't want them to see annihilated college students being young and foolish.  My kids will live that time on their own, regardless of whether I protect them from pubs at a young age.

Hey lawmakers I have a message for you.  Most people are smarter than that you make them out to be.  We can take care of our children.  We know what is best for them.  We know what limits can and should be imposed on them.  We have morals, know good from evil.  Can you believe that?  Are you somehow better positioned than my wife and I, the parents of these two great children, to decide what they should or shouldn't do?  In fairy tales and also in more real traditional African, Indian tales the wise man is the one that decides what is best for the group.  How times have changed.

We ended up at a coffee shop.  I had a blueberry scone and a coffee.  My kids a pastry and a juice.  My wife a sandwich and coffee.  We saved some money.  For that I'd like to thank my local lawmakers.

Let me know what you think about what you have just read. Please and thanks!