I ran into my high school Bio teacher this weekend. After catching up I asked about the old school and how he was handling this generation of kids. "The kids are the same as they've ever been (kow) it's the parents that have changed." I asked him to explain. "You just have to see them, how they treat their kids, bow down to them as if to avoid confrontation. You need to see these parents when they come in for parent teacher meetings, they just don't give a shit." "Here they are paying close to $5,000 a year to send their kids to this school and they couldn't care less how their son is doing in his classwork."
That statement really made me think alot about the current state of this country's youth. Maybe it really isn't the kids who are flunking the class but the parents flunking the kid?
Thoughts?
(and thanks to everyone who commented on the test, the test failed. An enhanced Musical Monday entry later on. If we can get it to work.)
17 comments:
i think you passed the....
Had this been an actual post...we might have left actual comments.
icles
did i pass the test?
i didn't even study...
I totally agree with you. I think there are a lot of parents that not only don't want confrontation, they don't want the challenge and work it takes to make your kid into a successful member of society. When I was a kid my parents never backed down from the challenge of making me accountable for my actions. It is sad...but hopefully people like you and me will help change the future of our own children.
I always worry that I'll be one of those parents because everyone worries who is going to "tell" on you for punishing your child. You know? But I figure, in most regards, the way my parents raised us... I want to do that with my son... My parents weren't ever afraid to let us fall on our faces and MAKE us get back up. THere wasn't any questioning them either. Good post KOW. BTW, I got my Musical Monday up too.
and people wonder why I'm leaving the country....
Unfortunately our society is "on demand" and all too often kids are exposed to this influence and it seems as if parents cave in. Its the job of the parent to teach kids that life is not a race to see who dies with the most shit. Obey, study hard, respect others and life will work out.
So sad that so many parents cave to their children's will.
I would have to say yes, parents are a HUGE problem with schools and kids. It is all about material things now a days not education and earning what you may want. I have many friends that are teachers and they say the kids are fine, parents get around them and BOOM they are monsters. Parents don't spend time with their kids, they don't help them read etc. The agenda of the american family has changed and not for the better.
Your friend is so right.
i think, as far as our "youth" ( and i think each generation says this about the younger one) goes, the issue is incredibly complex. i don't think we can blame it exclusively on one ingredient of this complex pie, there are many factors....so many factors. i think there are a number of scientific studies going on...bottom line? change is inevitable. we, as educators,have to figure out how to teach to the diversities of the students (needs, genetics, weaknesses, strengths, outside influences...both positive and negative...) etc. we can point and blame and guess, but when reality sets in, we gotta git'er done. (god, how i hate that phrase)
I think you have a very good point, kow, although I have to say that being a parent is anything but easy. Although - to contradict myself - it's not so hard.
That makes no sense, so I'm going for a lie down.
Oh yes. Children are a product of their environment. I feely admit that I'm a bitch...if I'm out in a store or at a restaurant and there is a child misbehaving or throwing a fit, I have no problem whatsoever looking the parent directly in the eyes and saying one of the two following things:
"Just out of my own sheer curiosity, how exactly does it feel to be raised by a four year old?"
Or
"If you have an issue with disciplining your child, please let me know and I'll have no problem whatsoever doing it for you."
I'm not saying that children should be forced to grow up quickly, but the proof is in the pudding. There are well behaved, well-raised, responsible children in the world...so there is no excuse whatsoever as to why there can't be more.
Just for the record...my daughter isn't in any way, shape or form perfect by any stretch of the imagination. She's a teenager so she pushes the limits at times, etc. That's what kids do...if more parents did what they were supposed to do at those times, this post wouldn't exist.
Well, it's silly to blame a child for acting out if they've never been taught to behave differently. That's completely on the parent. There comes an age when you can shift the blame to the kid, especially if they've been taught to act properly and just don't, that's a different story.
Parenting is mostly common sense. People seem to forget that, and they also seem to forget that they're the ones with the power, not the children.
I am a working mother. I struggle each day with the balancing act of family, faith, home, and work. I am not perfect by far - but I refuse to let my kids grow up to be assholes. Too many parents these days are more than willing to let a failing school system and an unfocused society raise their kids for them - this is not right. We must be responsible for our children. My kids crack me up. They are funny and precocious - they get into all sorts of crap and trouble and skinned knees. But they know how to say please and thank you and ma'am and sir. They don't burp in church and my 3 year old son already knows that it's good manners to open a door for a lady. Why? BECAUSE HIS PARENTS TAUGHT HIM!!!
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