What is happening to the children of today?

I was prompted to start this thread, in response to this thread:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

regarding a bill that was introduced that would allow teachers to to carry concealed weapons into the classroom.

To me, there is no valid argument for that. In fact time and money would be better off spent in investigating what would motivate a child to obtain a firearm to do harm to others, or to his or her self in the first place?

It would seem that there are many factors involved including, the education system, the childs upbringing (did they come from an abusive family), violence on television in movies and in videogames.

With many of todays youth growing up essentially with one parent, it becomes increasingly harder for that parent to monitor their childrens activities, physical and mental well being, etc., etc. Even to the point that the parent may only see this child basically on the weekends only.

This is a sad state of affairs for the youth of today.

When I was younger (in school)you NEVER heard of a shooting at school.We used to fight,that was a common thing.I just think kids now days are afraid to take a beating,plain and simple.I look for older children to be home schooled soon.(via internet).

Who knows?

Maybe the Universial Gateway has been opened and a host of new alien/human hybrids are going indoctination to the United States educational system.

Those kids might be bringing in rayguns or something of that sort.

Last I heard, they were disguising their alien agenda handbooks in bibles, thus prompting school administrators to ban bibles outright, and suspend any student who brought one on campus.

It's a strange state of affairs out there these days.

There are educative school divisions undergoing normal but experimental learning processes. I'd say the next gen. students are very well articulated and are being proposed to new and improved ways of intelligence. I'd say people of old school are very unfortunate now.

7A

I predict that if they start allowing the teachers to carry guns, we will soon have more instances of stressed out teachers shooting students to gain control of their classrooms than we have stressed out students shooting up the schools.

today's adults aren't much better than the kids, where do you think they're getting it from.

Originally posted by dawnstar
I predict that if they start allowing the teachers to carry guns, we will soon have more instances of stressed out teachers shooting students to gain control of their classrooms than we have stressed out students shooting up the schools.

today's adults aren't much better than the kids, where do you think they're getting it from.

Well said Dawnstar,I can see the headline now:"Teacher shoots student for being disruptive in class."

[edit on 21-12-2006 by crowpruitt]

Parents are allowing tv, video games and the internet to raise their children. Plain and simple.

Parents are failing. Not the school system.

Lex

better than the gangs, drugs and violence that they'd get out in some neighborhoods!!

It's simple really. And no one is going to appreciate the truth, but here it is: Lawmakers, and left wing hacks have legislated away our rights as parents to raise and discipline our children properly. I do NOT for one moment believe in extraordinary or abusive discipline, but there are times when extra measures are required beyond time outs. Children know their rights, and are not afraid to excerise them. Unfortunately we are reaping the rewards of lax parenting, and inefficient and unwarranted state intervention. Sorry folks, it's the truth.

In all honesty, I believe we are completely blowing it all out of proportion. Kids today, are not that different than kids from 10, 20, 30, or 40 years ago. Kids are kids, that will never change. What has changed is society, and the manner in which we portray the children.

For instance:

School Bangs Tag
Schools Move to Restrict Dodgeball

Both of these links were taken from the member shots in this thread.

Honestly, how far are we going to let this go? Suddenly, the games we permit our children to play are too dangerous. The video games are too influential, the television shows are creating monsters. Thats a load of crap. If the parents are any sort of parent, the child is given all of the listed above in moderation. Too much violence is a bad thing, a little bit in moderation is called maturation. A child needs the ability to grow and develop autonomy. This bubble we are trying to place children in is going to burst at some point, and we are going to be left with a complete mess.

Drugs? Please. Does no one remember the 60's? Marijuana is not something that was created by the grunge era in the 90's. These problems have been around for decades. Guess what? We continued to develop normally. Those who didn't, well they failed to take things in moderation.

You can not prevent a child from falling down and scraping their knee, it is going to happen. They are going to drink a beer, they are going to smoke a cigarette. Rather than trying to prevent it, why not deal with it. Prevention is only opening up the door for failure. Admit the mistakes our children are going to make, just as we have made them in the past. Tell them they should never do it, but more importantly, be smart if the time ever comes.

As much as we try to fight it, kids are smart. They understand what's going on around them. When Mommy and Daddy are fighting over the last cigarette, and getting ready to run to the liquor store, they are telling their children that they better not every try alcohol or cigarettes. Right, that is some good parenting.

Why not attempt a more productive approach?

The problem is not with the children, the problem is us.

Society has developed over the years. Drugs do exist where if a child tries it for the first time, they may feel the consequences for the rest of their life. It is a harsh reality. Education today is more important than it ever has been. We try to reinforce children with this information, but in the end, they need to learn for themselves.

We need to allow the children to grow, and they need to make mistakes.

Rather than having the child live in a protective bubble, let's just be there to pick them up when they fall.

[edit on 23-12-2006 by chissler]

well, i think the major difference now is that discipline in the school system is a joke. when was the last time you heard of a student being paddled? they know that the worst punishment they will receive is expulsion.

furthermore (and i'll probably get flamed for this), we have completely taken God out of the school system. now, i dont mean to say that we should be teaching christianity or any other religion in the system, but we have made it illegal to display the ten commandments anywhere in government run institutions. it's not politically correct to tell children things like "honor your mother and father" or "dont covet what is not yours" or "dont steal" or "dont lie"....we expect them to learn these concepts on their own or through their parents, which obviously isnt happening. we are trying, as a society, to be so sensitive to everyone's differences that we have allowed ourselves to become a society that excepts almost any lifestyle as the right of the individual. do you realize that the US has a record number of people in prison? i think the article i read stated that we had more than any other country in the world. what does that tell you? we dont teach them as children that their are consequences for their actions, so they end up in shackles. and we arent just talking about poor families here. enron ring a bell? it's a growing trend in high society as well.

i'll step down off of my soapbox now.

Originally posted by snafu7700
well, i think the major difference now is that discipline in the school system is a joke. when was the last time you heard of a student being paddled? they know that the worst punishment they will receive is expulsion.

Oh, so an authority figure striking a child is going to solve the problem? I have to disagree 100%. Teachers, Principles, etc., have no right to strike any child. I would offer minimal contact between a child and parent, as long as it is not done in a fit of rage.

Remember, this is to benefit the child. Not fill some need of the parent or authority figure.

Originally posted by snafu7700
it's not politically correct to tell children things like "honor your mother and father" or "dont covet what is not yours" or "dont steal" or "dont lie"

It's not politically correct to tell a child to not steal or don't lie? Have something to back that up with? This is the first I've heard of it.

A teacher should not be telling any child what to believe. Be in Religion, God, Political Affiliation, etc., and neither should the parent. A child should make up his or her own mind to what they believe. I'm not against religion in school, but it should be used as a tool to inform not control.

Kids should be informed on both sides of the coin, and allow them to determine what they believe.

Originally posted by snafu7700
we are trying, as a society, to be so sensitive to everyone's differences that we have allowed ourselves to become a society that excepts almost any lifestyle as the right of the individual.

What is the problem here? And what exactly are you referring to? Sexual Preference? I am interested in an elaboration here.

Originally posted by snafu7700
do you realize that the US has a record number of people in prison? i think the article i read stated that we had more than any other country in the world. what does that tell you?

It tells me that the country is naive enough to believe that sweeping criminals under the rug is going to solve the problem. It is a joke.

Originally posted by snafu7700
we dont teach them as children that their are consequences for their actions, so they end up in shackles. and we arent just talking about poor families here. enron ring a bell? it's a growing trend in high society as well.

Well, who is we? We? They? Us? Who exactly are you referring to?

I'd like to know who is not teaching the children there is consequences for their actions. Again, I would have to disagree.

Originally posted by snafu7700
i'll step down off of my soapbox now.

Just one minute there, I'll give you a hand.



[edit on 23-12-2006 by chissler]

Originally posted by chissler

The problem is not with the children, the problem is us.

Society has developed over the years. Drugs do exist where if a child tries it for the first time, they may feel the consequences for the rest of their life. It is a harsh reality. Education today is more important than it ever has been. We try to reinforce children with this information, but in the end, they need to learn for themselves.

We need to allow the children to grow, and they need to make mistakes.

Rather than having the child live in a protective bubble, let's just be there to pick them up when they fall.

Good stuff.

But speaking as the mother of a 16 year-old girl who suddenly feels she has the right to make all her own decisions - ouch.

You say, "The problem is not with the children, the problem is us," but also, "Rather than having the child live in a protective bubble, let's just be there to pick them up when they fall."

...I raised my daughter on homemade healthy food - but then she discovered pop and greasy fries in school.

...She learned about sex and drugs in school - and being the intellectually curious adventurer that she is, tried both immediately.

...I raised her to think, and be independent - so now, she's wonderfully independent but thoughtless in the extreme.




Sometimes, all you can do is be there to pick them up when they fall.

Sucks tho.

I noticed the trend in the late 1980's with "kids going bad" (badder then when I was a kid - 1960's-1970's). That was when they made it illegal to hit your kid for disciplining them if they got out of hand. Yes, you could actually get arrested for spanking your kid. So because a couple parents abused their kids, they ruined discipline for everybody else, making it illegal. This was a big mistake in our laws. Protecting the vast majority of out of hand brats. Essentially, most kids are raised without any sense of discipline today, or fear and respect of authority. Which is why they are the unruly, disrespectful brats they are. They get away with murder and are usually never corrected by the parent. I noticed a trend back in the 1980's with lots of parents thinking it was funny if their 5 year-old kid blabbed out a curseword in public (Awe, isn't he cute.) Also, noticed lots more parents cussing (using the F-word around little kids with no restraint). Also, noticed a growing trend of parents using drugs around their kids with no worry. Also, noticed a trend of parents treating their kids like a "friend" instead of a parent. Another observation: many parents today are bad parents and should not be raising kids. They set bad examples.

If you ask me, any problem with kids today isn't their fault.....it's their parents fault.
The parent is the role model. The parent makes the biggest impression on the kids life. The parent is their hope and protection. The parent influences, the parent shapes, and most importantly the parent should be very loving to their child. Don't give a kid genuine love and he'll turn out a rotten apple for sure. The parent is the teacher (if the child is not taught morals, he will have no morals)....if the parent sets bad examples (and many do) then the kid will only be a product of his upbringing.

Originally posted by chissler

Oh, so an authority figure striking a child is going to solve the problem? I have to disagree 100%. Teachers, Principles, etc., have no right to strike any child. I would offer minimal contact between a child and parent, as long as it is not done in a fit of rage.

while i would agree that no discipline should be applied in a fit of rage, children need to know that there are consequences for their actions. it only took two paddlings for me to understand that certain behaviours werent going to be tolerated, and i just cant believe that a fair system of rules and consequences for breaking those rules can be considered abuse. if my son is acting up, i have no problem with him being taken out in the hall and paddled. paddling doesnt hurt a child. it embarrases them in front of their peers...and that is what makes them straighten up and fly right.

Remember, this is to benefit the child. Not fill some need of the parent or authority figure.

agreed, and i firmly believe that strong, loving discipline greatly benifits a child.....in fact, i believe that as a parent, it is your duty to administer strong but fair discipline. unfortunately, i seem to be in the minority these days.

It's not politically correct to tell a child to not steal or don't lie? Have something to back that up with? This is the first I've heard of it.

how many gangs do we have in the school systems these days? how many teachers turn a blind eye out of fear or indifference?

A teacher should not be telling any child what to believe. Be in Religion, God, Political Affiliation, etc., and neither should the parent. A child should make up his or her own mind to what they believe. I'm not against religion in school, but it should be used as a tool to inform not control.

no, you shouldnt be telling them what to believe. you should be teaching them all you have to teach.....but we arent talking simply about beliefs here. you want them to have an open mind and learn some things for themselves, but you have to set rules as well. are you going to let your child play in the road until he finds out for himself that it's unsafe? you have to lead them to a certain extent, and again, that involves strong discipline.

Kids should be informed on both sides of the coin, and allow them to determine what they believe.

agreed, but they also have to know what their limits are.

What is the problem here? And what exactly are you referring to? Sexual Preference? I am interested in an elaboration here.

nice attempt at baiting, but i'm not talking about homosexuals. i'm talking about things like living off of the state and expecting a handout because you believe it's your right not to have to work.

It tells me that the country is naive enough to believe that sweeping criminals under the rug is going to solve the problem. It is a joke.

so you honestly dont believe it has anything to do with the more liberal way in which we as a country are raising and educating our kids? thats more than a little naive my friend.

Well, who is we? We? They? Us? Who exactly are you referring to?

we, us...this nation as a whole.

I'd like to know who is not teaching the children there is consequences for their actions. Again, I would have to disagree.

then we'll just have to agree to disagree, because it's pretty obvious to me that the school systems and modern day parents are doing just that....no responsibility, no consequences. again, i site the overly large number of prisoners and the growing number of school related violence.

Just one minute there, I'll give you a hand.

correction....i'll stay on my soapbox as i dont want to drown in the sarcasm below.

Originally posted by soficrow
But speaking as the mother of a 16 year-old girl who suddenly feels she has the right to make all her own decisions - ouch.

Ouch is certainly an understatement. I speak all of this, as a non-parent. So I do lack experience, but it is not to say I do not have a supported opinion. I have younger siblings, and my younger sister amazes me. At a young age, we had talked and I would ask her questions. Why do you think that, Why do you feel this way, or What made you do this? Her answers were always based on her own way of thinking, or her own experience. She didn't do what someone else told her, she learned from her own mistakes.

I envied her as her actions were something I only dreamed of at her age. At her age I was a follower, I did what was said and asked no questions. Well she follows nothing. She asks questions before performing any action. If she is going to do something, she wants to know why. I love her for it.

She understands she is going to make mistakes, and she is smart enough to learn from them. She's still underage, but she openly says she has no ambition to drink. Why? Not because she was told not to drink, because she views the environment that surrounds her, and makes a conscious decision.

Sometimes parents can be a detriment themselves.

At times I speak generally here, and I tend to paint all with the same brush. Completely unfair, and I try to avoid it. But mistakes will be made.

sofi, you give the impression of a strong and dependable mother. I bet you and your daughter have a very strong relationship. Sometimes we need to be more of a friend than a parent. But only in moderation.

Moderation is the key.

It's all about the TIME. The time we spend with our kids, quality is the key as quantity has gone by the wayside with todays economy. My mother barely worked when we were growing up. Now parents have 2-4 jobs between the 2. You have to make the MOST of the time you have with your kids. It's amazing what you can accomplish in just a half an hour if you REALLY listen and talk to your kids. Now, if your a single parent, what do you do? That would be an extremely difficult job.

Not sure what is wrong with the "children of today", but I know one thing. If they were drafted (given legal age), they would sure as hell have their acts cleaned up.

Hmm, as a matter of fact, maybe these kids parents ought to be drafted, then they can be straitened up as well.

Just a thought... don't mind me, no one ever does.

[edit on 23-12-2006 by ADVISOR]

Originally posted by snafu7700
well, i think the major difference now is that discipline in the school system is a joke. when was the last time you heard of a student being paddled? they know that the worst punishment they will receive is expulsion.

Even when paddleing was allowable in the school system; that was also a joke. Paddleing was worn as a badge of honor by me and my mates. It was no deterent to bad behavior what so ever. Only weenies were afraid of the paddle!

Actually in the school I attended "expulsion" was viewed as a much more severe punishmen than a few swats on the butt. If you were expelled you couldn't be with your friends to cook up even more interesting mischief.

The solution to discipline in the schools is smaller classes, qualified teachers instead of fools [don't get bent, I know there are some good teachers] and access to quality materials such as PCs in all schools not just in the schools that have a good property tax base or private schools.

No child left behind is such a sham!

[edit on 23-12-2006 by whaaa]

My impression -

Questions like, "What is happening to the children of today?" and all the responses here, seem to view children and teenagers as already-finished products, rolling off the assembly line of life.

But they're not. They're in the process of becoming. As we all are, I hope, but they're in the very earliest stages.

Most will learn from the mistakes they make. Most will grow, evolve and mature into responsible people. Most will turn out just fine.

There are many paths to the same place - in this case, adulthood.

We may not understand the whys and wherefores of the paths children take today - I know I don't - but we have to trust them, and have faith in the process. As history proves, it usually works. And btw our parents said the same things everyone is saying here.


...I spoke very personally above about my own daughter, and may have created some mistaken impressions. FYI -

1. She never even saw a television until she was almost five. We do have one now, but it is not unusual for it to be turned off for 6 months or more.

2. When I was working, except for a 6 month or so period, I structured my schedule so that I worked her school hours, picked her up, and stayed home the rest of the time.

3. I have been disabled and home full time since she was about eleven - available.

4. I do not drink, do drugs, or go out and party. I'm single, but have not brought men into our lives - she has not been exposed to the 'lifestyle' many mistakenly assume all single mothers live.

5. She learned about sex and drugs in the classroom from 'educational' programs, which quite predictably tweaked her curiosity and adventurous spirit - and encouraged her to experiment. ...She does not have problems with it - I do.

6. She is smart, accomplished, creative, compassionate, caring, healthy in mind-body-and-spirit, self-confident, works to earn her own spending money, and more.

But about 5 weeks ago, she started kicking over the traces. Stopped helping out and doing her chores, other crud, claiming she was making her own decisions.

All normal and healthy. Happens to scare the # out of me - but that's my problem, not hers.

Fact is, she's coming around now. Respectful again, following curfew. Seems she just needed to test the waters.

She also needed me to prove that my love for her is unconditional. She needed to know that she was allowed to make mistakes, and still find me there when she needed me.

I hear this goes on for 3 years or so.