I’m sure everyone knows someone who has a kid who is just plain disrespectful. Now I’m talking about the child who thinks they’re old enough to hang and converse with the big folks. Children who think they should be seen and heard by all he/she surveys. This can also be considered disrespect of in many ways (even if they do not realize they are doing it). Now I’m all for giving a child some space to find out who they are and want to be in life, but there’s only so far they should be allowed to go. But it’s not just the blatant disrespect that bothers me, it’s the disregard of the parent/child line.
Some kids may not even realize that they have teetered over the line, and some like to flirt with danger. I have noticed that society places the child in a place where they are responsible for their words and actions. A place where Mom and Dad are pitted against the child in a battle of the wills. Children have a lot more rights now than we had growing up and frankly, I think a little of it goes to their heads. It’s not entirely their fault because there are parents out there that want to be their child’s friend and let them have a little freedom to govern themselves. Though this method may work in some instances, it can sometimes backfire causing the parent to lose their control of the relationship. I love my children dearly, but I let them know that I am not your homegirl, and you will not talk to me as such. I’m not a strict disciplinarian, but I expect for my children to show me respect and appreciation. I teach them that when they put out respect for others, they get it back in return (not always so, but it should be). I also teach them that (just like the old days) when adults are conversing, children should be scarce. They shouldn’t be privy to conversations and situations that are beyond their scope of knowledge. I just think that kids should be kids.
Oftentimes, my children would try to plan to got out with their friends and forget to ask me first. They get so comfortable just doing things without asking. They have learned the hard way that just simply does not go in my household. I tell them if I was to do some of the things they do today when I was younger, I would be probably be in a coma to this day. That they are lucky to get just a stern warning possibly a punishment of some kind. With all of that said, my kids are mild compared to a lot of children out there. As I stated earlier, I partially blame society because of the images of the sassy little black girl/boy on the TV sitcom, the teenager who gets mad at her mom for borrowing her clothes, the spoiled child actor/actress who adults feel they could hold mature conversations with. These images are just a few, it seems that have become “acceptable” in our day and age. I see so many examples of children growing up way before they should, and parents and other adults catering to their every whim (or tantrum). Some of these images are subliminal and have become embedded in American culture. It seems we (society) tend to reward such behavior with undeserved attention toward the delinquent/ sassy child, by catering or enabling with the hopes of curbing it. I think it only amplifies the level of disrespect.
I believe that nurturing a child is necessary, but when does it border on enabling a child, of giving control to a child? What happened to the chivalry, and respect of our ancestors and mothers who came before us. We NEED to bring that back!
