Kids Today

Little rant/response to some news stories from yesterday. FYI I am speaking about so-called "normal" kids. So don't get your panties in a wad and yell at me about special needs."

On any given day there is some story about how some kids rights were validated at school. Back in my day that would have been a girl not being allowed to take shop, or a boy being denied home economics class. Yeah it happened in my time too. Well not today. Yes there are true stories of rights being violated in schools. The problem is they are being pushed down and covered up by the whiny parents that are going to sue the school because their child didn't make the team. Therefore their rights were violated.

Ummm no they weren't. They were allowed to try out for the team correct? Ok so they were not good enough. What happened to I'm sorry maybe next year Johnny. Nope now Johnny's mom storms into the school and demands Johnny be placed on the team or she will sue. So what have we thought Johnny. We have taught him that he is entitled to whatever he wants. Does not matter that he did not make the cut, or didn't work hard to make it. Nope mama will come get me on the team. Roger recently tried out for the track team. He didn't make it. His response sure he was disappointed but he said oh well maybe next year. He's now looking at trying out for soccer next year as well in high school. Basically my autistic kid had a better reaction to being cut than many of the "normal" kids.

Another example, kids breaking dress code.(here and here) They wear something they know will not be accepted and then act surprised and scream I have a right to wear what I want when they are reprimanded for breaking the rules. I worked in schools you would be surprised how many parents would yell and scream that if they say their child can wear it it's none of our business. Well we have a dress code so it sort of is.  The rules are there for a reason. What have we taught our kids now? That the rules don't apply to them. My kids have a lot of hand me downs and some of them are not school appropriate. Lucy knows some of her dresses she needs to wear a shirt under. Roger has a couple graphic tees that could be taken the wrong was so he doesn't wear them to school.

One story I saw (here) were a group of kids acting like fools not following the rules and were kicked off a plane. They still got to their destination though it took longer. Of course parents pitch a fit Johnny missed part of his vacation because you kicked him off. Wait how about sorry Johnny I know you missed part of the fun but your actions are the reason for it. Not go demand airline vouchers because your kid screwed up. .

Or how about the article that schools should just relax about cheating. (it is here) That what they call cheating is acceptable behavior in the workforce. Umm no it's not. One thing they said was some of the best workers know how to ask others for help on work projects. Maybe a little true, but if you are always asking others to help with your work eventually the boss is going to figure it out, others are going to get sick of you not being able to do your own job. Then guess what yep fired.  Schools to allow collaboration on projects, papers, and even some tests. They also teach students that there is a time and place for collaboration that every assignment is not that time. The craziest idea is to allow cell phones in the classroom. In todays classrooms there are computers and internet, some even let kids bring their own laptops and use the wifi. SO there is no need to use a phone to look up information. Lets be truthful here the kids would be texting each other not looking up information and not paying attention.

Where am I going with all this. Let's just say I'm worried for the next generation. We are going to have a bunch of spoiled entitled rulebreakers on our hands. They are not capable of doing anything themselves because mommy and daddy have done it all for them. They do not know how to handle disappointment because they don't have to mom and dad save them and make it all better.

I have seen kids that are so coddled that at age seventeen they cannot be left alone at home for more than maybe thirty min. Or they are calling mom and dad to come home. Your seventeen almost a adult and you cannot stay home alone. You need your parents at your beckon call. The worst is when the parents actually drop what they are doing and go home.

These same kids seem to be making the rules in the house they tell mom and dad it's time to go to bed, it's time to be quiet. No you can't be too far from me. The parents have become codependent on their children that neither can function without the other nearby.

What are we coming too. We are supposed to be their parents not their friends. We are supposed to help them stand up and do things for themselves not do it for them. We are supposed to teach them to take responsibility for their actions not help them break the rules. We are supposed to be preparing them for the world. Instead I fear we are preparing an entire generation to fail.