In the 6 Oct 08 issue of TIME, there was an acticle on purity balls. Quote from the Wikipedia, "A purity ball (also known as a father-daughter purity ball or purity wedding) is a formal event attended by fathers and their daughters. Typically, daughters who attend make a virginity pledge; a pledge to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. Fathers who attend pledge to protect what they view as their young daughters' "purity" of mind, body and soul."
I think that purity balls are a good way for fathers and daughters bond. But these balls should include sons too. Why is it just girls who have to stay pure? Cant men stay pure too? You see the cycle goes on. It will not stop until the boys are targeted too.
Then why fathers? I think that it is because they are not around most of the time. Lets face it, although we have working mothers, most men are the sole breadwinners. This means that girls and boys do not have a male role model to look up to. So this day is extremely important. Moreover, the presence of a father (who is constantly busy with work) attending an event with them furthers emphasizes the significance of the purity ball. Thus the children will take it seriously. I will not be surprised if the girls actually look forward to this annual event. But this is only based on the assumption that mothers are stay-home mothers, and that these mothers are good role models. So there you go, the happy family.
But there is a problem. What if both parents are working and neither spends sufficient time with the kids? Now which parent is more important? Who should attend the ball? Is even the idea of having a role model from home a good one? All parents are being parents for the first time, so they are bound to make mistakes but undeniablely there are good and bad parents. But what makes a parent good or bad? I think bad parents do not deserve to be a parent at all. So maybe before anyone can start a family, they should be qualify to be a good parent(s) first. Maybe in the future we will have a Parenting Authority of Singapore. Before anyone can be a parent, they need to gain approval from the PAS. Of course this sounds ridiculous now. But think of the children who had suffered just because of their parents. It is not fair. They tell us to be responsible for our actions, 'SO BE RESPONSIBLE.' Yes parents, YOU.
It is easy as a parent to say 'Do as i say, not as i do,' but does it mean anything if the child sees you doing otherwise? It is more vaulable to make the commitment and stay true to it. Hypocrisy will be spotted very quickly. And then the child would no longer see the significance of upholding the promise anymore.
So fathers, you spend that one night with your daughters and bear witness to their purity pledeges, you must not forget the pledeges you made not just on that night but also the other one you made a really long time ago (to your wife). Now let me say it back to you, 'practice what you preach.'
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