Tuesday, September 29, 2009

The Children Are Our Future ?

What ?

These kids are our future ?

What about these...


I just don't get it.

Look at these teens...


What is happening with these kids ?

What the hell are the parents doing with these kids that they act like this ?

Is it a city or urban thing ?

Watching these videos, and listening to the news reports about these kids made me run down the hall and check on my boys.

Violence like this does not exist where I live, and I can give a few good reasons as to why

1) The Baptist Church my family attends is open every day, and is full every Sunday and Wednesday

2) I make my boys responsible for their actions. I do not spare the rod.

3) I teach my boys respect, and I show them good manners by example

4) I know my neighbors, and their kids, and we all talk.

5) I have put aside many of my adult activities to make more time for my boys. We hunt, fish, participate in sports, and I attend every function at school

Thankfully, I am not the only parent that that thinks this way, and we all care about each others children

No, I am not a drill Sergent, and by no means do I smother my boys, but I must be doing something right.

A-B honor roll, perfect attendance, and sports trophies line a wall in my living room, and they say yes ma'am, no sir, please and thank you.

A child is the reflection of the parents, and when they choose not to educate them, and make them accountable, then the future is lost

8 comments:

A New Yorker said...

Wow I honestly didn't know that existed anymore and not just because of the news. It's refreshing to read.

Josh said...

The supposed saviors of these cities have had free reign to make their changes for decades. Not only do things never change, but they get worse.

At some point, personal responsibility has to come into play. And I'm talking from the political level to the family structure.

To me, race and class play no role in how kids turn out this way. It's part of an encompassing culture, taught on a political level, where it's left to someone else to do for you.

And some want this message spread across the country?

Sandee said...

Parents aren't parenting anymore. They are leaving it to others to do or prefer that their kids are bullies just like they are. The home life it poor at best.

This is going to keep getting worse. In our area it's all gangs. They prey on others especially at night. There are neighborhoods that are held hostage. It's the parents that won't step up to the plate.

Have a terrific day. :)

RE - A BadGalSays said...

somehow these kids have no fear.
I also think that the kid who was attacked didn't defend himself. it appears that these kids are off the hook. the olderman who was killed in cleveland, I am like the neighbors who said they should turn themselves in. there is no responsibility in the parenting these days because the kids think they can call the police on the parents when they discipline them.

if think that if the parents were held responsible with the kids it wouldn't be happening.

Reflections Magazine editor said...

Unfortunately, you raise many points I agree with. I say unfortunately because I wish there was a gentler way to explain to folks why are youth is a mess. I am reading a book called Outliers by Gladswell that I recommend everyone read. The specific info regarding intelligence and achievement will astound you. What parents do and don't do and how they do it affects the child's chances at success. I have always believed "that" but Gladwell's compilation of research and easy to understand examples has really made it more clear to me. Parents and the community that surrounds our children most definitely "affects" our children. As a traditionalist I too am very "occupied" with my children's school, friends, activities and lives altogether. I am very proud of my boys for their accomplishments,but I am just as proud in who they have become as individuals. Great post...point well made.

Jeremy Janson said...

Beautiful. Yeah, you're right, and your use of media to demonstrate your point was flawless. Your argument was concise, logical, well-thought-out and heartfelt. But to your point:

Yes, this is what happens in a Post-1950's America where the "perfection" of Suburbia requires that everything icky, not fun and tragic be kept as far away from children as possible. This includes punishment, includes violence, including righteous violence, includes standing up for yourself or having to face someone, includes decision making, includes hard weather and discomfort, even social discomfort, includes heroism and adventure and all other things that have risk. When you raise children like veal calves, rather then truly respecting them for the human being they are meant to be, it is no surprise that they turn out to have no principle, no honor, no life experience, and no inner strength. Children are like steel, they must be hardened and refined through fire, and today, in the city, we subject them to the firgid cold of quiet oppresion, unsaid words, totalitarian mindsets, and a perfection that human beings cannot survive in.

I know this because I grew up very recently in a fairly urban place, but had the supreme blessing of having to fight for my life against doctors, hospitals, and school administrators that were out to kill me softly with medications and white lies. I survived, and I think I've mostly forgiven now, maybe, but it's not just the parents, it's the whole place. If it were up to me, we'd burn down the city and suburbia and start from scratch.

As for me, I'm doing well. I have a 3.92 GPA at the 4th best engineering school in the country (Georgia Tech), have a couple blogs I write for that are doing well and am planning on adding a third, and have a loving good relationship with my family.

The only good news is that things have gotten so bad that some of these kids are starting to learn now, out of their own bruises and shattered bones, and with haunting memories, and it will be up to them to rebuild. Also, these kids do have some fight in them - maybe partially from being deprived - and as such have served valiantly and successfully in the first two major volunteer wars since 1812 (Iraq and Afghanistan,) one of which is now concluding in victory despite a rocky road and a long drawn out taxing conflict.

The Vegas Art Guy said...

Three words...

War On Poverty

Unknown said...

I think it starts with the kids getting desensitized by the video games they're playing and the graphic violence in movies...

No values or morality is taught..or seen..


Excellent post