Okay, so I wasn't the best behaved kid in the world, but I was brought up respecting adults. I was not raised in a house where I was required to say ma'am and sir, but I knew that if I talked disrespectful to my parents or any adult my dad would smack my mouth clear off my face. There were kids my age that were bratty, but not very many. Teachers, parents, grandparents, coaches, etc just did not put up with it.
After teaching martial-arts the past 5 years and being around my children's friends, I am shocked how kids treat and speak to adults. There are great kids, very respectful kids, and super polite kids, but there are also the rudest kids out there. I have crazy wild kids, but until recently they never acted like they were my superior. I guess that is the problem that I personally see with many of the kids I come in contact with or watch. They have this attitude that they are some how more important, smarter, or even wield more power than adults. I've always been annoyed by it, but I've blown it off because it wasn't my problem. I had other issues with my kids, until recently. My kids stopped saying ma'am and sir, have hardly said please and thank you, and pretty much stopped with all pleasantries all together. I AM NOT HAVING THAT!!!!
I know part of it is testing their limits to see what they can get away with, but they've hit the limit and keep pushing and pushing past. So of course I got to thinking of what could be causing this. I started to think about what was different this summer than previous school breaks. The Damn TV! When we moved to our new house, the kids got tv's in their rooms and they have been watching a lot of cable since.
Think about those shows pre-schoolers watch. My kids' favorite was always Dora and Diego. Where are their parents? You see the mom and dad every couple of shows and all they do is ask Dora what she thinks is best. Other than that, Dora is traipsing through the jungle without parental supervision. She is doing whatever she wants.
Now that my kids are older they are into shows like iCarly and Fairly Odd Parents. Have you noticed that the parents and guardians in these shows are complete morons? It is re-inforced over and over in these shows that kids are smarter than adults, and adults are too stupid for any kind of respect.
These are just a couple of examples I can think of at the moment. But I am hoping that taking the cable out of their room and giving them quality family time will change some of this behavior.
Do any of you guys see this trend and behavior?
I definitely see the trend and behavior. Sadly, it is not only being taught via the television but also in the public school system. The learning is becoming about what pleases the SELF and disregards how we are to be with others. This includes sexual identity and other worldly desires. God is being pushed out of everything.
ReplyDeleteI agree that TV can be the devil. My children always get more unruley when they have watched to much tv, played to many video games, or spent to much time on the internet. I have a hard time understanding you don't "play" with your friends in person anymore, I guess it's a different world.
ReplyDeleteJenny, it amazes me how "selfish" kids are now...maybe your right that everything in the public school system teaches them to be self-centered. I think that is changing now because more of the newer teachers are teaching "community"...I could not agree more that God is being pushed out. That upsets me so much
ReplyDeleteTeena, I understand what you are saying. I am always pushing my kids to go out, not because I want them out of my hair, but because I want them to go interact with people. I also see that the more my kids watch tv, the more they turn unruly. They seem to fight with each other more too.
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