My Generation

Bill Cosby once said, ~My childhood should have taught me lessons for my own parenthood, but it didn't because parenting can be learned only by people who have no children.~ Let me ask you this question, when you look back at your own childhood in connection with how you were raised back in the day and compared it to how a certain number of kids are being raised today you most definitely learn quite a few things. For I apologize ahead of time if any of you who have children take what I'm saying personally on how things have changed immensely when it pertains to the attitude and behavior of a child as it comes from someone who even though doesn't have children does have the experience in working in the childcare profession for a better part of a decade.

If you think about it, we as kids lived in a totally different era as each of us grew up knowing who not only the boss was, but also who was absolutely in control. I think we can all agree that when you were given the all-too-familiar look or heard that unmistakeable tone in your parent's voice as your full name is being called out you knew it was time to shape up or immediately suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, those two particular methods are seemingly no longer an effective tool for today's parents who are losing control or should I say easily giving it up to their child. For its a sad situation indeed when a parent would rather give in to the tantrums/demands of a child because in their own minds it greatly reduces their stress level, but all it truly does is simply add to it.

Without a doubt, we all knew the rules to follow as kids and one of those rules you learned was to behave and not make any type of scene that thoroughly embarrassed one's parents to the point of fearfully suffering the consequences. Personally speaking, my best friend and I were at the golden arches waiting for our order when we, as well as, every other patron in there witnessed two young brothers getting into an argument that inevitably turned into an all out fist fight. What did the parent do you may be wondering? Absolutely nothing and despite not being concerned or embarrassed for that matter of the scene they made I surely was because if that were my brother and I we both would have been grabbed by our ears and hauled out of there immediately.

For the question can be asked to any of you parents, what would you do if your young child slapped you across the face? Would you use child psychology and talk it out with your child or use the child psychology that has essentially helped straighten out a child like myself, which is a good old fashioned butt whoopin'. You see, the one thing you learned never to do is be so bold as to hit or slap your mom or dad because you're mad or didn't want to do what you were told. Hey, back in my day it took one time only and if you refused to listen you were in for a punishment of biblical proportions that you may or may not live from. It truly befuddles the mind how young kids today aren't afraid to step up to their parents and say or do things that are just so astounding you're rendered speechless.

In retrospect, when you look at today's generation of kids you worry that they may not be able to survive in the real world as they’re being coddled way too much. Why? Parents know so much more about the world today when it concerns their child/children they feel it's in their best interest to protect them from being hurt or whatever the case may be to the point of being overprotective. In the end, if you were a child who grew up not negatively affected from drinking from the water hose, cried only a few tears after hurting yourself doing something like riding your bike, or disappeared for hours on end to play with friends without any worried concern from your parents knowing where you were then my friend you can proudly say that was my generation.