I agree with you to a certain extent. I agree that kids do not respect adults at all. However, it was already happening when I was young.
I'm 43 but I remember having a very bad attitude to my parents. My Dad did spank us if we did something really wrong, but I was very lazy and would never do anything I was asked without moaning or being lippy. Yup - I was pretty vile.
My parents were middle class academics and always spoke to me as though I was a vlauble person with valuable opinions. Maybe that is the problem - but it's also valuable too.
From a very early age, I saw my parents as people, with faults liek anyone else. I now value the fact that I could argue back as it taught me important negociating and debating skills and teaches you also to stand up for yourself - that's the upside of course. The downside is that I didn't treat my parents with the kind of respect that you mean: I always had to be given a good reason to do something.I am a reasonable person now though as i was taught consideration of others.
Now I am a parent i have the same problems as yourself with my children. i can't believe the way they talk to me sometimes. I do follow the advice of the books too , but I feel that along with the fact that schools can no longer offer strict controls, children do not learn blind respect and obedience and with that comes their attitude.
I suppose it is our job to teach them social skills and care and consideration of others. But like you, I wonder where this is all leading.
I agree with you 100% I am also early 30's and my life growing up was just like yours...there was no talking back, and no rewards for doing what was expected.
Now I have a child whom I will spank...not as regularly as I was spanked as a child, but when something is done and it’s wrong, I will get after her.
I think the Gov. is too quick to call a spanking abuse...even if it was a good one that leaves marks. A spanking should inflict pain not injury...a small wrong deserves a small spanking and serious wrong deserves a serious spanking!
Schools and Gov. need to let us raise our kids....that’s why teachers are in such a state now! They can’t control the kids and the kids can’t be properly punished at home.
