Holla! I'm kind of having a long weekend and I thought "Why don't I write something up." And strange to say that I'm going to be writing about an article I read from the papers which I couldn't agree more. The funny part is it's about parenthood. XD
I really love this article of hers on "Kids matter" and I strongly believe that the new century parents should benefit from it.
"When I was growing up, my siblings and I were required to address all adults and older cousins by their titles."
True. Especially my mum. She would make sure that I call the adults out loud and clear for everyone in the whole room's attention. I would panic if I couldn't remember what title to address certain aunts or uncles. In times like that, I would whisper to my dad and ask "How to call him ah?" and it certainly did embarrass me when my dad answered me in a firm tone.
Kids nowadays, based on my observations and encounters as well, they will just take a look at you and continue with their games or homework or cartoon shows. It really surprises me to see their level of respect towards adults are so low that it seems it was already implanted from the previous generations.
Another thing about new parents are they would take the easiest way out to solve their children's crying, whining or rebellious behaviors. Mums and dads would just give in to every demands or requests their kids want the moment they get cranky.
"I don't mean being a complete pushover and giving in to every want and whine."
A very good phrase. I vividly remember whenever I whine to my mum over something that I want e.g. new pencil or color pens, she would tell me to stop or else she would just leave me in the store. And I really appreciate her for being mean to me because I realized back then that showing her my attitude isn't going to work in my family - AT ALL. I had and have to prove to them that I'm worth it to make a request from them. Parents should let their kids learn from the hard way instead of just shutting them up the easiest way.
There are a lot of occasions that you can witness in a restaurant or in the shopping mall on the way a mum would let her baby play with the iPad while she'll be busy chatting around with her friends or dad, who's trying to have a comfy meal would shut his kid up with a phone or any kind of electronic device. These actions or so-called-solutions seriously will create a bigger and unmanageable mindset for the next generation which I would never want to think about.
Apart from this, parents always teaches their kids to not talk to any kind of strangers. The phrase " DO NOT TALK TO STRANGERS" is always being uttered in a way that it threatens a child to take as serious as he/she could. I could understand that why kids are shy when I first met them - we've never met, the kids thinks i'm vulnerable to her etc.
"Do you realize being shy is actually a child's first line of defense? You won't want your child to be best friends with every strange adult she sees, will you?"
I truly wish that every parent would think twice about the direction of their parenting skills as kids grasp fast on how adults are going to react towards each and every behavior. The results would be very easy - either break or make a child.
Till then peeps.
michellesnoopy