This week I get to spend time with many, many children, yesterday being the kick-off, and I wanted to pass on some observations. Maybe not so much observations but one big observation:
Children are not being disciplined by parents.
We could get into a societal study of the break-down of the American family unit and the percentage of single-parent homes or children who live with grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc… but I want to just look at this idea. Kids are not being disciplined.
The idea has been with me since I began working here. But it really came to a head a couple days ago when I was shopping in Wal-Mart. (which could lead us to a whole new rant, right?) I was walking down an aisle in the toy department when I heard a voice yell out, “MOOOOOM; I WANT YOU TO BUY ME SOMETHING! BUY ME SOMETHING NOW!” Just imagine this little boy screaming this over and over again as he passed each aisle while his mother is ignoring him and walking away.
A second instance in Wal-Mart was with a father and his daughter. He was trying to push the cart along the wider walkways and she was pushing back against him because she wanted him to get her something in a department they had past. She was screaming and crying and causing quite a mess. The father kept walking along against her pushes and, again, trying to ignore her.
Things really boiled over yesterday.
There are three of us entertaining seperate groups of children for a limited period of time. One of my helpers was trying to corral them into a line so they could move on to the next station when this sweet-looking girl walks up and punches him nearly in the groin! I looked at him and he gives me this look of, “What was that for.” I turn around and another girl is pushing my other helper against the wall and is digger her nails into his neck and back.
Now you might read that and think, what a group of pansy guys. But you need to remember – if we say anything to correct or discipline the kids, we will be the ones in trouble. The parents will have a fit that someone caused a hiccup to their child’s growth as an individual. For crying out loud, these kids are seven and ten year olds.
I don’t want to get too far into types of discipline but, seriously, what is up with “Time-Out”? What a load of trash that idea was/is.
Parents in America need to understand that they are not to be their kid’s buddies, not to be their pals. You are your child’s parent. You correct them, you discipline them. And our politicians need to stay clear of families. But we shouldn’t go into that load of roadapples.
