Or else I'm going to have to do it for you...
Kids today, to put it plainly, are ignorant...and that is YOUR fault. Ignorance, by definition, is a lack of knowledge, which would be understandable in a child. They are children, and children lack pretty much everything with the exception of looking cute, and that isn't even always a give-in. Your child does NOT know what is best for them, in fact they don't even know what they like and don't like and it's their own opinion. So for the love of all that is good, do the world a favor and crack yours every once in a while when they get out of line!
I see bad parenting all the time. In the junk food isle of a store when a parent is reaching for crappy junk food and the kid is screaming "I want THAT ::insert sugary-bad-for-you-makes-your-kid-a-porker snack here:: too" - In the music store when a parent is purchasing a parental advisory CD for their too-young-to-purchase-it-myself teenager who just so happens to be wearing more lipstick than his mother - On the street (or in my friends own homes) as they puff away at their cigarettes while holding their infants...it's disturbing...and it's EVERYWHERE
These are the same parents that will one day wonder why their kid is fat, emotionally unstable, or cancer ridden. The same parents that will probably blame television or the Internet or magazine ads and try to sue, because one would assume any asshole that lets their kid act like that is just another leech on the American economy, and would rather have someone else give them money so they don't personally have to put out for the medical treatments their kids wouldn't have needed in the first place. Sadly, this all could be avoided if that parent would have done one simple thing...::SMACK!::
Now, don't go blaming me when DHS comes knocking because you beat your kids too much. I'm not saying a child should cower in fear every time you walk into a room, but a child should respect you without expecting the same level of respect in return. Your child does not pay the bills or purchase the groceries. They have no say in how much time they can watch TV, take a shower, or blast the air conditioner you already mistakenly put in their room. They have no say over the things they will consume during dinner, which should be at the dinner table or at least in the same room as the rest of the family (who is eating the same thing whether they like it or not) so sturdy conversations can be held, especially regarding things that are not avoidable such as the way celebrities act like slutty fools. If they feel they do, give them a little whack on the tush to remind them who is boss.
I remember when I was young, after a good crack and a stern talking to, I would always tell my mother if I ever had children I would never lay a finger on them...well that bologna has a first name, and its called Ignorance. Watching all this bad parenting that indefinitely floats in my face has made me realize how glad I am that my parents DID correct me, and not just by yelling or explaining-yet-letting-stuff-slide, but by physically reminding me of my place in the world. I was a kid, I was ignorant to the reasons for their "abuse" - not because they didn't explain, but because I was a child, and children are ignorant until they can learn better. But with the lack of discipline these days the children are growing up, but they aren't learning anything, and so the vicious cycle of being ignorant continues.
Giving your kid a smack when they step out of line does NOT mean you do not love them, in fact quite the opposite. If you love your child you wouldn't want them to grow up to be an ignorant loser, but they will be if they continue to think it is OK to be that way, which is mostly by your own example. Talk to your kids, work on establishing good communication and discuss the unavoidable waves of crap that are streamlined to these kids computers, cell phones and MP3 players (great corresponding blog article: http://truthonice.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/r-i-p-virtuous-women/) However when you see your daughter dressing like this, smack her and send her to get changed. And if she snuck out of the house like that, smack her twice when you find out later, once of the outfit, twice for the deceit! Trust me, your kids will thank you when they have kids of their own the do not know how to deal with.
Rod Spoiledly Yours,
Sarah M.
