The problem with kids today...is their parents!
July 25th 2008 16:20
I am so astonished at the parenting skils (or lack of) of young people today. Yes, I'm older so maybe I'm a bit cynical, but I have to tell you, these young parents blow my mind.
For starters I watch Supernanny and the kids are so out of control, but worse, the parents are out of control. Then I was watching Baby Borrowers...what was appalling was the reaction of some of the real parents of the kids the young adults were watching.
I go to restaurants quite regularly and it is rare that I go into one that doesn't contain a screaming child and older ones running around out of control. What's wrong with all these kids?
I believe from my ten years experience in a men's prison and my experience raising my own two sons, that the problem is the parents. I was strick on my children and part of that was a reflection of my fears of any of my offspring ending up in prison. I proudly tell you I have raised, polite, kind generous, loving, respectful, hard working adults.
Did I abuse or beat them up??? NO! But I did hold them accountable for their actions. For every bad action there was a consequence, and I held firm to it. I also made them responsible for something starting as young as two. If you pull your toys out, you put them back. If you trash your room, you clean it and you're not leaving the house until its done. By the time they were 16, I had a budget for school clothes and shoes. My limit was $40 on a pair of tennis shoes, if you want something more...then get a job and buy it. I'd hand them what I was willing to spend, they put in the rest.
When they began working, I told them there are no free rides in this life, so they could contribute to the household financially since they weren't going to be around to help with chores such as the yard. Yep, you read that right....I charged my kids rent. It was about $50 a week each. Oh yes, they griped but they paid and when they graduated from high school, we handed them a check for the entire amount so they would have a jump start on getting out on their own. They were so surprised and so happy.
Today my boys are 30 and 33. One spent time in the Peace Corps the other in the military. My oldest son is a registered nurse at a big hospital and makes great money and my youngest has a high level job with the government. They are both upstanding, law abiding citizens who contribute at work and in the community. I believe that they will pass on the values we tried to give them.
So, I digress. parents today feel they have to buy their children's love and they feel if they say no that their kids won't love them. This is so wrong and is resulted in more inmates in prison then ever. During my ten years working at the prison there were a couple of common themes: single parent homes, and dual parent homes where the child was allowed to do anything.
Children need discipline, and they need to be taught to be a responsible, respectable person. Come on, parents wake up before its too late!
For starters I watch Supernanny and the kids are so out of control, but worse, the parents are out of control. Then I was watching Baby Borrowers...what was appalling was the reaction of some of the real parents of the kids the young adults were watching.
I go to restaurants quite regularly and it is rare that I go into one that doesn't contain a screaming child and older ones running around out of control. What's wrong with all these kids?
I believe from my ten years experience in a men's prison and my experience raising my own two sons, that the problem is the parents. I was strick on my children and part of that was a reflection of my fears of any of my offspring ending up in prison. I proudly tell you I have raised, polite, kind generous, loving, respectful, hard working adults.
Did I abuse or beat them up??? NO! But I did hold them accountable for their actions. For every bad action there was a consequence, and I held firm to it. I also made them responsible for something starting as young as two. If you pull your toys out, you put them back. If you trash your room, you clean it and you're not leaving the house until its done. By the time they were 16, I had a budget for school clothes and shoes. My limit was $40 on a pair of tennis shoes, if you want something more...then get a job and buy it. I'd hand them what I was willing to spend, they put in the rest.
When they began working, I told them there are no free rides in this life, so they could contribute to the household financially since they weren't going to be around to help with chores such as the yard. Yep, you read that right....I charged my kids rent. It was about $50 a week each. Oh yes, they griped but they paid and when they graduated from high school, we handed them a check for the entire amount so they would have a jump start on getting out on their own. They were so surprised and so happy.
Today my boys are 30 and 33. One spent time in the Peace Corps the other in the military. My oldest son is a registered nurse at a big hospital and makes great money and my youngest has a high level job with the government. They are both upstanding, law abiding citizens who contribute at work and in the community. I believe that they will pass on the values we tried to give them.
So, I digress. parents today feel they have to buy their children's love and they feel if they say no that their kids won't love them. This is so wrong and is resulted in more inmates in prison then ever. During my ten years working at the prison there were a couple of common themes: single parent homes, and dual parent homes where the child was allowed to do anything.
Children need discipline, and they need to be taught to be a responsible, respectable person. Come on, parents wake up before its too late!
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Permissive parents aren't doing their kids any favors, that's a fact!
Comment by Cathy
Fakes Frauds Fools
Thanks for dropping by!
Comment by Cathy
Fakes Frauds Fools