A couple of kids

There are a couple of kids who are occasionally seen around the Red Cup. The Cup is not a very kid-friendly place; there's no rule against children, but I think it must mostly be a boring place for small fry.

The two kids I'm thinking of, though, seem to handle it pretty well. They are neither running rampant across the landscape, nor are they sullen but perfectly-behaved little Stepford kids. They make some noise, but not a lot of noise, they wander around some; but they don't grab stuff off tables or otherwise make themselves nuisances. And they seem like pretty happy, well-adjusted youngsters. If I'd had kids, I hope that I would have done that good a job raising them. In truth, if I'd had kids in my twenties, they'd probably be in federal prison now.

I was reading an article the other day about teaching children Buddhism in a commune somewhere. It sounded like a very strict, almost puritanical upbringing.

Personally, I don't think kids need to be taught Buddhism. Kids need to know kidism, which they already come by naturally. Parents need to guide that and help it mature into healthy adulthood. Giving kids a belief system can come later, as they're about become adults and take on the responsibilities of adulthood.