Hi, Parents. How I envy you. Always wanted to be a mom and raise a herd of children to go forth and change the world. Since I have no children I am, of course, an expert on child rearing. I have observed my friends and family raise children. I have observed strangers with their children and so I have a few ideas. Friends who are parents, this is not about you, this is about the generations following us. We have left many bad examples.
I am stunned when I drive by a junior high or high school. What on earth are you letting your children wear? Speaking as a member of society I do not want to see your son's underwear. I am glad he isn't going commando, but really, that's something that only his parents, himself and maybe his girlfriend should know. I don't care that his boxers are blue and shiny and fit like a glove, make him pull up his pants. And where are you taking your daughters to shop? Exotic Dancers R Us? Or is it the Army/Navy surplus store? The girls look like tarts or like they slept in their baggy clothes for a week.
First impressions of our children's children...spoiled, snotty, little brats. Why? They are being raised by spoiled, snotty, bigger brats. Why? We raised the "me" generation. Why? Because we began the entire "me" thing.
This is based on no study. This is my opinion so you know it's right on! Speaking as a non parent, here is how I see it. Our generation, The Peace and Love Hippies, thought that we were going to make the world a better place. How? Sex, drugs and thumbing our nose at authority. Not that authority didn't deserve some nose thumbing. Our generation, the males at least, were being sent in droves to a war that no one could fully explain and the explanations available made no sense. Hell No, We Won't Go! But go we did, at least a large portion went. Somehow soldiers and the military got blamed for stupid government and the veterans of Nam felt isolated.
Here at home some citizens protested and tried to stop the war. People protested about everything. College campuses were taken over by students, the government shot and killed people at Kent State University. Riots were relatively common in ghettos across America because people felt disenfranchised and governments cared little about their existence. When people reach the end of their rope they do drastic things. What did the government do? They investigated people, the FBI kept files on subversives, the government tapped people's phones, they executed search and seizures, much like now only on long haired hippie types, "radicals". What did we do? We protested. We marched in the streets and in Washington D.C. Well, not me personally, that was on mom's list of things that will kill you. I did participate in walk-outs in high school so girls could wear jeans. "No justice, no peace". Really it was more like, "you got a cigarette? think we have time to burn one before we have to go back in?"
When the war actually ended, when Nixon resigned, our generation thought we had the world by the tail and could change anything. We didn't. We are basically where we were in the 1970s. We don't have a cohesive nation. People are self centered and judgemental beyond belief. Me, me, me is every one's warm up. I know this because I warm up that way too. We all do. What on earth happened here?
I thought peace and love and brotherhood all went together. Now it is like peace in MY house, I love my stuff and brotherhood is such a hassle. That's us. Our children live like, gotta have it, gotta have it now, everyone has one, really don't want to work, please give me everything I ask for, don't you love me? And their children are celebrated like princesses and princes of the royal variety. I know little children who have been to Disney World every year since they were born. They don't live in Orlando, much less Florida.
Children get a car on their sixteenth birthday like it is a rule. Children get whatever they want and run the house. "Child won't eat that, so we don't have it. Child doesn't like that TV show so we don't watch it. Child doesn't want to go so we aren't going, child would be bored. Child likes _______ so child can have all child wants. Child is having 37 people over again because child is bored. Child wants to go to the coast for spring break. Child wanted the new phone so I upgraded mine and gave to child. Child wants the latest everything and we must get all for child. Child needs $700 for prom. Child wants to borrow car cause our is better. Child needs TV and computer in child's room." etc.
My parents would have been angry for my simply asking if I could have something they didn't want me to have. I would have known to NOT ask. I would have known that if I really wanted something I better figure out a way to pay for it. AND if it was something they didn't want me to have, they would take it away.
It isn't just the selfishness, it is the attitude. And the mouth on these kids. I know parents who use the most hateful language in front of their children and allow it in return. Nigger, faggot, retard are common and usually there is a "fuck" thrown in there too. How lovely. I have the world's worst potty mouth. I sprinkle my conversations liberally with the "F" word, however, I never use insulting language. My parents would have spun my head around for either a slip of the "F" word or calling someone a faggot. I was the one who taught my mother not to say nigger, colored people or darkies. She's from Kentucky.
Now our children are having children. We look the other way while they hump like rabbits and don't seem to care if both creators of the child are ready or willing to be parents. These children are either ignored, used like dolls or raised by grandparents and then spoiled rotten. The parents still whine about what they want from their parents and, please, I have no food to feed my child. Seen my new tattoo?
I have seen children in public scream at their parent for not letting them have something. The parent simply says OK, here you go, honey, please don't be unhappy. I sat next to a family in Marble Falls one evening at a restaurant. There were four adults and twice as many children. They were on their way to Sea World in San Antonio. The alpha male started explaining to the children that Sea World would have to wait until the morning because it was getting so late. By the time they got to San Antonio, it would be near closing time. The children went berserk. NOOOOOOO. WE WANT TO GO NOW!!!! This went on during the entire meal. The large group and all the children rushed through dinner to get back on the road so they could spend an hour at Sea World.
My parents would have said, "you better straighten up or we won't go AT ALL". Not these parents. "Hurry, the little precious tykes are unhappy....that cannot happen".
Here are some ideas.
Your children are NOT in charge. Do not let them think they are.
Your children should not decide what they want to eat. They won't starve, cook what you want.
Children do not need to upgrade every time there is a chance to. This applies to all electronics.
Children should not decide what you are going to do
A day or two of boredom never killed anyone. Sometimes alone time is the most satisfying
Children don't need a car for their 16th birthday, they want one. Big difference
If your child has a bigger TV in their room than you do things are way out of balance
Practice these phrases:
Because I said so
Respect your elders
Respect your teachers
Shut your filthy mouth
He/she/they are just as important as you are
NO
You're Welcome,
Lillybell Blues.
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