What's wrong with our youth? Is it a psychosocial disorder? Is it the parents?

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by nikki1920

A lot of parents are trying too hard to be friends with their kids or go out of their way to not have their kids be afraid of them.

WTF is that?

Well, now the cops will come if you hit your kid.

[DSTRen13]

Some parents definitely still hit their kids. I don't know how much good it does, though, to threaten your kid with a heavy metal picture frame to the head in the middle of a Target

It seems like around here the parents are in two camps - they are either yelling and hitting their kids like crazy, or they're just letting their kids run wild. There has to be some middle ground there.

[cheerfulgreek]

I remember parents could slap their kids in public and get away with it. If they tried that now, some moron would report it and the cops would show and try to take the kids from the parent(s).

I think "Time Out" works. It worked for me when I was a kid, and I turned out great.

[Educatingblue]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I remember parents could slap their kids in public and get away with it. If they tried that now, some moron would report it and the cops would show and try to take the kids from the parent(s).

That's true. I know my mom would shoot me that, "Don't make me give you a spanking when we get home look," and that would normally straighten me out. If all else failed, she would turn into an a** sniper and find some covert way to get in one good lick when we least expected it and no one was looking!

It seems like children are no longer afraid of their parents anymore. My brother and I hated to see our parents upset with us. I guess a lot of it was psychological because we never wanted to feel like we disappointed them.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

It seems like around here the parents are in two camps - they are either yelling and hitting their kids like crazy, or they're just letting their kids run wild. There has to be some middle ground there.

That pretty much sums it up.

One of these days I'm just going to snap and scream even louder than one of these kids who's pitching a fit because he can't have a toy or something, just to see what happens. "I can scream louder and longer than you, and I can probably sing Journey's greatest hits while I'm doing it. So give it up."

[nikki1920]

Time out works for some kids. My child gets spanked, sparingly. Taking things away from her is more effective for HER. If I have other kids, it may not be as effective for them as it was for her.

Cops can't take my child for DISCIPLINE. ABUSE, yes.

33girl, bwhahahahahaha at the last sentence.

[DArtist]

The way that are youth are experienced to "today's world" is one area of concern. They are being allowed to skip over their wonder years so many times and know things that many of us while growing up were not privy to.

Many parents unfortunately allow outside influences to take the place of real parenting at home. Schools are prime examples, hence the reason why there are so many events that occur there that make the evening news, and we look on shocked.

[moe.ron]

It's because they didn't get to watch GI Joe.

[DArtist]

It goes beyond the "entertainment factor" that many of the children has been introduced to. Interaction with today's youth seem almost taboo. To know what they want and need means getting involved in their lives, asking questions, and spending time with them. Not letting them plop down in front of a t.v. and that's it.

[ilovemyglo]

My momma whooped my butt when I misbehaved- I turned into a productive member of society... she whooped my brothers as well and they both are engineers and doing great-
My fiance and his three siblings got their butts whoooped- they are all doing well. My closest friends, same thing....

Coincidence? We didn't shoot up schools, have out marriage children, get in fist fights or become destructive. We all went to college, have jobs, pay taxes and live good moral lives.

I think we need to spank more.
Personal opinions.

[PhiGam]

Honestly you have to put some blame on the media. They make events like the one mentioned earlier seem much more common than they actually are.

[ISUKappa]

You have a lot of "I think" statements. Whether you like it or not, those are still your opinions, and not proven facts. Honestly, it sounds like you're just spouting off some coalition party line, holding your hands over your ears saying "neener neener neener, I can't hear you" when anyone tries to tell you a differing opinion.

Personally, I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

You have a lot of "I think" statements. Whether you like it or not, those are still your opinions, and not proven facts. Honestly, it sounds like you're just spouting off some coalition party line, holding your hands over your ears saying "neener neener neener, I can't hear you" when anyone tries to tell you a differing opinion.

Personally, I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

I'm open to other opinions, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with them.

I agree here. I believe children are our future too.

Teach them well and let them lead the way? lol o.k. Whitney Houston. You could have kept that lame remark.

And this is what you're not understanding. Teaching them well is part of the problem. We're not. Diminishing adult and parental authority over children is a growing problem. Parents are increasingly losing control of their kids, because they work long hours and have little time to spend with them. A lot of parents have relinquished authority for disciplining their children to the school, and the crazy thing about this is parents aren't supportive of the school's disciplinary decisions.

Problems within the family, such as divorce, domestic or sexual abuse, frequent relocations, and fragile family relationships as well as lack of awareness or involvment in childrens lives have a huge impact on todays kids.

[ISUKappa]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I'm open to other opinions, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with them.

But you're trying so hard to show us we're all wrong!

Teach them well and let them lead the way? lol o.k. Whitney Houston. You could have kept that lame remark.

That was the point, genius, it's called sarcasm.

And this is what you're not understanding. Teaching them well is part of the problem. We're not. Diminishing adult and parental authority over children is a growing problem. Parents are increasingly losing control of their kids, because they work long hours and have little time to spend with them. A lot of parents have relinquished authority for disciplining their children to the school, and the crazy thing about this is parents aren't supportive of the school's disciplinary decisions.

Problems within the family, such as divorce, domestic or sexual abuse, frequent relocations, and fragile family relationships as well as lack of awareness or involvment in childrens lives have a huge impact on todays kids.

I know the point you're trying to make, but you're still generalizing a heckuva lot. I kind of hate to pull the "when you're a parent, you'll understand" card, but seriously, it's way, way different when you have kids of your own. Not to say that adults without kids can't see where parents come from, but parents have a BTDT mentality.

My son is two. He's in the middle of toddlerhood. That means defiance and lots of tantrums as he attempts to assert his independence and learn boundaries. As of now, we haven't had to spank, and maybe we never will, but it takes a lot of patience (of which I don't always have a steady supply) to deal some days. How do you balance discipline with letting him figure out the world around him by himself? It's hard. And, in my opinion, those decisions only get more difficult as children get older.

We can all give anecdotes as to how our parents did such and such and, see, I turned out fine. My parents spanked, they were a two-income household and weren't always able to attend and support me at every single activity I was involved in. I think I turned out okay (except for that stint in a Mexican prison - joking!). That doesn't mean someone in a similar situation necessarily turned out the same, though. Each person is different and needs different parenting styles (even within the same family).

And, how do you reconcile Helicopter Parents? Some would argue that over-parenting can be just as, if not more, damaging than under-parenting.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

And, how do you reconcile Helicopter Parents? Some would argue that over-parenting can be more damaging than under-parenting.

I see soooo few that 'over parent' that it would be more refreshing to see more active parents. Not to say that over-parenting is excellent, but where I work the parents have sooooo many excuses for why thier child misbehaves, some do not believe thier child misbehaves, and some just don't give a rats ass.

So many of the children I come in contact with don't fear anything. I was sooo afraid that if I cut the fool that my mom would decend on me like armageddon, so I didn't do things to get murdered. lol I have seen for too many of my students talk back to thier parents/gradnparents/whomever that I don't expect them to care when they are in school or other public places. What is worse....the parents that misbehave themselves and laugh when thier children do it.