Whatever happened to the true belief in “It takes a village to raise a child”?
Have we as a society become so self involved and isolated from our neighbors that we are allowing an entire generation to walk the path of no return?
I ask this question because not to long ago when I was a child, there were certain “rules” that my friends and I never questioned or went against.
On many occasions, I have noticed children just standing at street corners (long after the street lights were on) on a school night, with no adult supervision, and what seems to be no apparent destination.
I have witnessed a couple of my friend’s children ignore their parents when their name is called or say “what do you want” when they do respond. One of my friend’s children actually ran away because his parents did not allow him to “hang out” with his friends, because he had failed most of his classes in school.
Yet the thing that is causing me the greatest concern is the amount of children who are committing crimes and killing one another. It seems as if there is an entire generation of children who just do not care.
So my question: As someone who does not have any children, what is my part (if any) in reinforcing more positive attitudes for children to witness and/or model after? What can we as a society do to insure that children are no longer witness to so much negativity, believe that it is acceptable to disrespect their neighbor, and start believing in a more positive and productive future.
Looking for answers,
Hobo Bag
Real Life, Real Talk, Real Women
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
4 comments:
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Difficult to answer. As a Christian, I full well expect to look out for my fellow man, but how can I when they don't look out for themselves? When you have parents who go to schools and threaten teachers IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS, how do they expect the teacher to be able to do their job. The kids lose respect for the authority that the teacher is supposed to have and then it's all downhill from there.
ReplyDeleteI've had the occasion to watch several of the daytime court-type shows. A lot of them, especially Judge Hatchett, cater to family disfunction. Today, there was a Mother who brought her child in for the Judge to turn her child's life around. I asked myself how did she raise this child to reach a point where she thought it necessary to go on tv to have her child corrected?
It's a sad state of affairs, but until we figure out a way to get the younger aduts and the kids of today to respect life, I fear that things will only get worst. I'll be checking to see what answers people come up with.
Children "other" people children "our" children. Everyday as an school teacher I deal with our children and their parents. Your questions are some of my own questions while I'm try to educate our children.
ReplyDeleteNumber one you can only change the children you come in contact with and sometimes postivity is a characteristic they are afraid of, so many times these children are consumed with negativity. Their speech, clothing, and environment scream out the exact opposite of what "educators" are trying to get across. Parents have to change first..and train children to respect, but do they know what is disrespectful.
So as an educator you have to engage them first....let them see the positivity in your life while you are being cordial, and speak with knowledge and encouragement. Most of the time there will be a Wall of emotions, that has been built for years...because they are not use to this language. Our children have been trained to negativity from the womb.... mama's call their children B's and other four letter words...they listen to, watch and no one sees a problem with their "world" of language-horror.
Profanity shouldn't be accepted but if used asked them to state their feelings without those words.
I start in my own neighborhood, when I see boys together I speak and ask how is school? My neighbor children know if they use profanity I ask should you say that word around an adult and if the crowd of teens are threatening my look of disgust will give the impression of dissatisfaction with their language.
Sometimes just praying for these children may be enough. Just smiling sometimes can be away to help one of these lost children, who have lost parents who have no idea what "postivity" is!
In my opinion I feel you have already taken the first step by recognizing that there is a serious probably that I don't even have a word to describe. Today’s generations of children truly are lost without guidance, love or respect. It starts with the parents not discipline their kids and not allowing other adults to respectively discipline their kids without getting offended or defensive. When I was young any adult could put you in check and there was nothing you could or would say about, now if you say something to someone’s child about their behavior you have the mom or dad saying, "don't talk to my kid like that", well frankly I wouldn’t have too if you would step up and be the parent and not the friend. Bottom line I still believe it takes a village to raise a child regardless if you have one or not I for one will still put in my 2 cents when I encounter a disobedient child and a clueless parent.
ReplyDeleteYes this is a hard one. I always say it starts at home. Too many folks are trying to be "friends" with their kids and that typically blows up in your face. Too many babies are having babies with no more "Big Mama's" around. Grandmothers are as young as 35 yrs old. I feel like I have and get respect from my kids but people are afraid to speak to anybody else’s kids because you don't know what they may come back with.
ReplyDeleteIt's very sad. Some how we have to try and instill hope back in to the young adults because so many have no hope at all. They have no fear and no respect of life. They don't have any respect for themselves so they can't respect any one else.
It's based on a lack of love and thinking that no one cares if they live or die. We need more mentors, more programs to keep them busy and off the streets. We need that village again.