"What are you a marshmallow?" I yelled at my five year old. Then I realized...oh no! I have just turned into my father!
But you know what, I GET IT NOW! My children aren't marshmallows, and I don't want them to grow up to become marshmallows. The fact is, a little tough skin is necessary.
"That mother's looking for you," a friend informed me. She pointed towards the playground to a mother fussing over her child.
"Why?" I asked sarcastically.
"She wanted to tell you that Amaya wouldn't play with her daughter," she relayed the message.
"Well good thing she talked to you and not me," I teased. I had a feeling that the overbearing mother wouldn't of appreciated my take on the situation.
Kids have to learn to solve their own problems, and fight their own battles. Mommy can't always be there to do it for them. What will they do in the playground of adult life.
MELT!
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I feel like there's pressure from other parents to hover over my kids. It's so exhausting.
ReplyDeleteNext time you think that our society hasn't become marshmallows, pick up a copy of Huckleberry Finn and read it. You'll see that we've become so soft that we've felt it necessary as a society to edit a 150 year old manuscript to remove the word "nigger" and replace it with "slave".
ReplyDeleteTrue, political correctness is getting ridiculous. A Seattle school has renamed Easter eggs, "Spring spheres". And who gives them the right to change literature like Huckleberry Finn? We need thicker skin....
ReplyDeleteAnd my younger brother couldn't even celebrate Halloween in school. That was the funnest for me in school. It's sad that they've taken that away, too. (He's 9 years younger, btw, so there's quite an age gap.)
ReplyDeleteModeration in all things...including moderation.
This would be why we have a society of Adult "kids" still living at home at the age of 30 with no job and no intention of getting one.
ReplyDeleteParents need to grow up.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a matter of not celebrating Halloween...it's candy or treats. They don't want anyone bringing in birthday cupcakes, etc. They state allergies, but really they don't want the kids to have sugar. Yet,they will offer them something to take home...that gets eaten before you get in the driveway!
ReplyDeleteThey don't want the kids playing on the playground in the morning before class because they get too riled up and can't get seated...what they mean is there isn't anyone on duty and they don't have insurance.
So irritated with it all!
They've just about taken away all the fun, and piled more work on them!
Sandi
http://www.ahhsome.wordpress.com
I agree that parents are too soft on kids these days. they definitely have to learn to fight their own battles.
ReplyDeleteAs I tell my older son:
"One day your brother is going to turn around and hit you back. And what am I going to say to you? I told you so."
"like"
ReplyDeleteI think if you talk to people in the work world who are hiring this next generation you'll find they're surprised at the lack of work ethic in most of them. I think we instill a work ethic in our kids as they grow and you can't suddenly get the qualities needed to be a good employee into a 20-something who has never had to do anything for themselves, including work out disagreements in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI really love reading these sentiments from people who are parents. Gives me hope. I work with middle school kids, and had a long conversation with a friend about the diminishing level of academic effort given by young people in general.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame the kids, but I think society, technology, etc. has really rewired our goal and desire behaviors/expectations. Everything happens instantly now, and if they can't get at information quickly they lose interest. The problem is that some types of learning can only be achieved by solving something, and not by being 'given' something.
As an adult, I'm not much better. I quit reading newspapers years ago because it wasn't a streamlined experience. (I can look at a web page with all of the 'important' info right up front.) Perhaps it does come from adults who constantly focus on the value of time (or the lack there of)?
Regardless of where it comes from, I think it's a challenge that parents and educators need to figure out.