Topic: Whats with kids today?

[clarkjh]

As the title says.  I had some little #$%* stop, look at my bike then spit on it.  Lucky for him I didn't get out the door fast enough to have a chat with him .  I don't care if someone doesn't like my bike but no need to spit on it.

Small rant over.

James

[kslrr]

Kids today are taught that if it is not the latest and greatest, then it is junk.  Today's kids also disrespect anything that ISN'T what they are into at that given second (like one I know who is into nothing but video games).

[ekim98]

 From what I've seen they don't even care about themselves so how can you expect them to respect other people or things. Sounds like someone needs to get out a can of Whoop butt

[nickjtc]

Let's not get started.....

no discipline in the (often single parent) home
no discipline at school
no self respect because of the first two
no boundaries
too much negative role modelling on the tv and in films

And so it goes.

[kslrr]

Well, he is my 12 year old step-son.  His mother allowed him to become this way because the video games were a great sitter while she dealed with her ex.  When he is being rude to her, me, his little sister or his 4 step-brothers, I let him know.

[my78k]

I agree about the discipline...We are lucky enough to have my wife stay home and raise our girls instead of paying someone else to do it (plus she watches a handful more to make extra cash!) so both my girls get plenty of discipline at home. School is another matter...WAY TOO lax now adays. We also enroll them in sports as there is lots to be learned there as well (especially form Maggie the Nazi gymnastic instructor! I love the way she deals with the kids).

The little bastard who spat on your bike also obviously has no fear of consequences...lord knows if I did that as a kid I would have been scared #$%*less that the owner would have seen and with my luck would be a big bad ass dude (or worse yet...my father would have found out and kicked my ass for him!!!)

Dennis

[jdigga]

At least he didn't do worse like kick it over--as disrespectful as it is, at least spit will wash off.

I'll stop there before I get riled up again since I already had a similar rant in this forum. 

[sparty]

I teach high school.  I see discipline issues all of the time.  I agree with Nick.  The list of reasons for poor behavior is very long.  It all starts in the home.  Hopefully someday, that kid who spit on your bike will realize his error, but I doubt it.  My wife is a judge.  she sees juvenile offenders more and more each year.  The punishments are often too light because kids are often given the benefit of immaturity.  I say hang 'em from the highest tree.

The scum of the Earth is growing exponentially.  I fear for the future of many communities.  Drugs and alcohol are accepted as recreation.  Kids have too much idle time.  Parents are trying to be their kids’ friends instead of proper parents and role models. 

Crime is on the rise again after a decade of decline.  Everyone makes excuses and points fingers instead of taking responsibility.  It is much easier to go with the flow than it is to stand against it.  In our busy lives, we often say, "Who cares?" or "So what?" or "Whatever?".  We are no longer united for the common good.  It is every man for himself.  Our values have declined, we compromise our beliefs, we rather be bystanders and followers.  We accept mediocrity.  We take short-cuts.  We look for easy fixes.  We ignore the root of the problems.  We are all ignorant.  We are hypocrites.  We are the problem by allowing it to perpetuate. 

Sparty

[nickjtc]

It is much easier to go with the flow than it is to stand against it.  In our busy lives, we often say, "Who cares?" or "So what?" or "Whatever?".  We are no longer united for the common good.  It is every man for himself.  Our values have declined, we compromise our beliefs, we rather be bystanders and followers.  We accept mediocrity.  We take short-cuts.  We look for easy fixes.  We ignore the root of the problems.  We are all ignorant.  We are hypocrites.  We are the problem by allowing it to perpetuate. 

Sparty

Well said. It's all about "me" in this day and age.

I know I'm going to sound really like a GHOF here, but the reality is that when I was a kid I was taught to never mess with another persons property, or to being disrespectful of an elder. And it wasn't because of a fear of retribution from the slipper wielder of the family (mum). It was a feeling of personal embarassment if I would ever do such a thing.

I remember in junior (elementary) school we had a lesson on the ramifications of being as thoughtless as to drop litter on the street. I've carried the memory of that lesson to this day and it makes me cringe when I see people throw their gag 'n' puke wrappings out of the car window.

And, no, I did not have to walk 15 miles to and from school each day, uphill both ways, in all weathers.

PS. Even my 28 year old son shakes his head at what he sees on a day to day basis as a probation officer.

[Bob Wessner]

It all starts in the home.

Couldn't agree more. Sadly, it can't just be your home. No matter how good a job you do, eventually they go out among their peers and that can be great pressure for young kids. If the homes and parents of their peers haven't instilled the same ethics in their progeny it can negate everything you've done. Maybe it does take a village.

[sparty]

It all starts in the home.

Couldn't agree more. Sadly, it can't just be your home. No matter how good a job you do, eventually they go out among their peers and that can be great pressure for young kids. If the homes and parents of their peers haven't instilled the same ethics in their progeny it can negate everything you've done. Maybe it does take a village.

"Maybe it does take a village."  You are correct, it does.

What it takes is cooperation.  Everyone on the same page.  Everyone to draw a line in the sand and enforce the boundaries.

When I was young I wasn't an angel, but I knew when to call it quits.  I knew right from wrong.  My conscious told me so.  Today, we have ignored or worse yet destroyed our conscious.  We all need to be shaken from our slumber.

A fellow teacher and I wrote a book six years ago about the disuniting of community, the self-absorbed lifestyles we lead, and the real consequences of apathy.

My wife and I volunteer in our community.  We are appalled by the lack of young people who do good in their communities.  Everyone says that they are too busy – they don’t have time.  Bullcrap!   It is all about priorities.

Sparty

[333]

When you say 'little #$%^&" , are we talking minor or someone who would be charged as an adult?  I may not know the law, but from where I sit, that was vandalism.  Unless someone takes a stand and drags him to the nearest lawman, he will graduate from spitting to kicking over.

[dusterdude]

unfortunatly the village thing doesnt work anymore because the village eldars cant lay a hand on him,when i was a kid if you messed up anybody could spank your ass and then when you got home you got it again.now if anybody touches a kid they get sued,kinda sucks.

[nickjtc]

Everyone to draw a line in the sand and enforce the boundaries.

Again, you've hit the nail on the head.

I call the line in the sand the 'ultimate deterrent'. My kids knew that the 'ultimate deterrent' was the large wooden spoon hanging on the wall, aka the 'whacking stick'. Never had to use it because they knew that if it was used the consequences were dire.

To a lesser (and more effective) extent the crossed line in the sand would lead to a loss of priviledges or a favourite toy or what-not. They never crossed the line!!

[clarkjh]

This kid was 11 or 12 and unfortunately he is covered by a policy because I do computer work in K-12 schools.  I could be fired for touching the kid even if I had his vandalism on tape.  I look at it this way, I wouldn't take this s#$t from a stranger on the street, why would I take it from a kid at work/school.  Like said, he could have kicked it over.

James

[Jonesy]

when i was a kid if you messed up anybody could spank your ass and then when you got home you got it again.now if anybody touches a kid they get sued,kinda sucks.

...or Child Protective Services shows up to take your kid away.

[fuzzybutt]

when i was a kid back in the 70's and 80's i would have never even THOUGHT about pulling what so many of these worthless dan kids pull these days. i'll never forget the guy that got suspended for 10 days forhaving a pocketknife. these days we see 8 year olds with guns and drugs in school and we just arent shocked at it anymore. and motuhing off to mom or dad? forget it! we had the red belt and the big wooden spoon as a threat hanging over our heads, and back then a parent didnt go to jail for spanking a kid in public.

[tbone]

When I was a kid the whole neighborhood watched over all the kids. (60's & 70's)
If you pulled some bone head stunt your parents knew about it even before you got home!

Today people just close the shades and ignore what goes on around them.

[masonryman]

Yes, it all starts at home, but unfortunately thats not where it ends up.  Dennis, I not only have two daughters, in the past, I have coached wrestling and I currently coach Gymnastics at the club and High school level.

My problem is not the kids or even keeping them in line, it's the parents who want to kill the messenger. After all, their little angle could do no wrong, it must either be the teacher or coach.

My kids know one thing, If their grades slip or they get in trouble outside the house, life as they know it will be over when we find out.

[LoopsAndLogic]

I kinda wish you would have went after him

Example:
I was sleeping late at night, and my mother comes to wake me up, saying, "I think someone damaged our mail box??"

So I head out and take a look at it as well as my father, and YEP, it's pretty much flattened!!

Mom comes outside pissed off and cussing and expects us to call the police. I said forget it and went back to bed.

5 minutes later my mother runs to my room and my sister's to wake us up, and says, "Those little pieces of ? are back".

I jump out of bed and head to a front window, where I slowly opened the window all the way, and as soon as I saw flickering of a match or lighter, I yelled at the top of my lungs "FREEEEEZZZZEEEE". They yelled and dashed faster than any motorcycle of the line at a drag strip.

What I didn't know, was that my dad was at the front door, which he had open.  I say, "Why didn't you go after them??"

I guess he didn't really care! Mind you, I know the these guys cause I use to play with them in our neighborhood and were still surrounded with these idiots.

What you need is a car alarm, so when someone gets about 2 feet from your bike, it goes off.

Best of luck

LL

[scootskate]

I teach fourth grade and usually any questions about behavior issues are answered on parent teacher conference night.  The apple usuallu doesn' fall far from the tree.

[sparty]

I teach fourth grade and usually any questions about behavior issues are answered on parent teacher conference night.  The apple usuallu doesn' fall far from the tree.

So true!

[clarkjh]

I teach fourth grade and usually any questions about behavior issues are answered on parent teacher conference night.  The apple usually doesn't' fall far from the tree.

True, too true.  I probably went to school with his parents or their siblings.

James

[steven400/4]

  what goes round comes round
little sh*t