A question got me to thinking...

[Mike Javi Cooper]

Just a few minutes ago I was reading several threads on TBH and got to thinking because of a question/statement I’ve been seeing a lot of on TBH about how kids today have no respect for cops, laws, other people and even themselves. I many cases I think this is true, you can see it at the mall, the movie theater, even the grocery store. It’s evident in school, at school functions, extracurricular activities, heck you can even see it in church.
Where does it come from? I see that question on here a lot….
Well in my opinion it comes from you, me, our parents, their parents’ etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…

That’s right.. IMO anyway.. We teach the kids to pick and choose which laws or rules they obey, we teach them to lie, cheat and yes even steal.

How do I do that??? You ask… ever ignore the speed limit, make a rude comment about the LEO running the speed trap, ever fuss about the slow driver in the left lane in front of your kids… Ever leave a grocery basket in front of your pickup, ever taste a few of them juicy grapes in the store.. Ever say to your kid, take one, no one cares or no one will ever know. Ever tell a little white lie in front of your kids, then when they confront you about it say… sometimes you got to lie so you don’t hurt someone’s feelings. Ever shoot one too many doves, pull the trigger 2 minutes after sunset in front of your kids.

Ever…… well maybe you get the point… IT’S US, IT’S OUR FAULT… and I’m sure you can add more such instances to the list if you try…


BUT... I'm pretty darn sure that most of you will read this and say... Hummmmph I don't teach my kid to ignore the law, lie, cheat, steal... Or blame it on Obama, or the schools, media, hell blame it on the neighbor down the street or the government.

Maybe, just maybe that little voice will nag you a bit the next time you fuss about a slow driver, the LEO running the radar, or some other SILLY RULE, or STUPID LAW...

[Chew]

Good post, Mike. Good food for thought.

[Texas Grown]

Yes, we are the impression we leave on others.

[Playa]

So what you are saying is, that it's been going on since the beginning of time & really nothing has changed!

[flywise]

I'd kinda disagree,
On a case by case basis thats probably true. Lots of kids never have someone thump them in the head or take a belt to their little tailends. But, at the same time there is a slim majority of folks that show their kids that theres consequences to poor decision making.
My kids for example know exactly what happens when you do wrong.
many times my self or the wife take the kids out in public we get compliments on how well our kids act. All of my friends kids are good as well. I WILL NOT accept responsibility for the act's of society at large because i am not the problem nor did i cause it. When people want to blame the village its typically because they know THEY have failed. At lease i have not to this point.
Our society has many problems but they are all attributed to the failure of individuals.
I do feel bad that many kids have no example to live by but with 2 jobs and 2 kids i cant help them

[Mike Javi Cooper]

So what you are saying is, that it's been going on since the beginning of time & really nothing has changed!

Only the degree... at 66 years of age it isn't difficult to see the difference just in my lifetime.

Parents, and other adults once took pride in well behaved children...
now....

not so much..

And yes, I'm pretty sure my Great, great, great grandpa fussed about silly laws.. The difference is the degree and the respect for himself and others. Today folks confuse Me'ism with respect.. Things that would have got you a butt whipping when I was young have become the accepted norm today.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

I'd kinda disagree,
On a case by case basis thats probably true. Lots of kids never have someone thump them in the head or take a belt to their little tailends. But, at the same time there is a slim majority of folks that show their kids that theres consequences to poor decision making.
My kids for example know exactly what happens when you do wrong.
many times my self or the wife take the kids out in public we get compliments on how well our kids act. All of my friends kids are good as well. I WILL NOT accept responsibility for the act's of society at large because i am not the problem nor did i cause it. When people want to blame the village its typically because they know THEY have failed. At lease i have not to this point.
Our society has many problems but they are all attributed to the failure of individuals.
I do feel bad that many kids have no example to live by but with 2 jobs and 2 kids i cant help them

You may well be that one in a million.. congratulations..

Yes, the failure of a whole village of individuals, I think we all have to accept at least some responsibility, as well as laying it at other's doorstep. Ever see friends or family's kids acting up (especially family) and never say anything about it.. I know it's none of your business... How do I know.. I've done the same thing.. we all have.. it's the accepted norm..

[Hookem84]

I agree.

[RascalArms]

I agree with your assessment Mike but I think the most unrecognized contributing factor that's led to our country's overall immoral breakdown has been....believe it or not...technology. There is no family time anymore since we've become a society driven and conditioned by the cell phone-smart phone-iPad-social media influence.

Kids nowadays don't know what it's like to just have a stick and a ball and go outside and play. They're conditioned by what they see on TV. All the cussing used to just be in the movies...now it's glorified by the press or media everyday in the regular news channels.

Principals and teachers can't or won't discipline kids in our schools now...in fear of being sued by little Johnny's irresponsible parents that didn't teach him how to behave in the first place.
I used to get all worked up over this but to be honest....as I get older I'm reminded and realize it's God's destiny for us. Remember, his prophecy was that Greed would destroy us. It has been written and we were warned about this long ago. It's just sad that...unless it happens soon, our children and their children have to endure more of what's to come.
Stop worrying because all we can do now is get right with God...he's already told us what is going to happen and who will make it through.

[easeup]

I don't think so either. some of it maybe but what we see in the media is to a much greater extent. Lets consider about 85% of them raised in busted homes or no home with no father figure; the removal of God from our life in every way possible; seeing adults and parents drunk or high or behaving in a manner that deserves no respect; social media filling their brains with endless sources devoid of any wisdom or goodness;
I could go on but you see where I am going.

[CletusBodeen]

Just a few minutes ago I was reading several threads on TBH and got to thinking because of a question/statement I’ve been seeing a lot of on TBH about how kids today have no respect for cops, laws, other people and even themselves. I many cases I think this is true, you can see it at the mall, the movie theater, even the grocery store. It’s evident in school, at school functions, extracurricular activities, heck you can even see it in church.
Where does it come from? I see that question on here a lot….
Well in my opinion it comes from you, me, our parents, their parents’ etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…

That’s right.. IMO anyway.. We teach the kids to pick and choose which laws or rules they obey, we teach them to lie, cheat and yes even steal.

How do I do that??? You ask… ever ignore the speed limit, make a rude comment about the LEO running the speed trap, ever fuss about the slow driver in the left lane in front of your kids… Ever leave a grocery basket in front of your pickup, ever taste a few of them juicy grapes in the store.. Ever say to your kid, take one, no one cares or no one will ever know. Ever tell a little white lie in front of your kids, then when they confront you about it say… sometimes you got to lie so you don’t hurt someone’s feelings. Ever shoot one too many doves, pull the trigger 2 minutes after sunset in front of your kids.

Ever…… well maybe you get the point… IT’S US, IT’S OUR FAULT… and I’m sure you can add more such instances to the list if you try…


BUT... I'm pretty darn sure that most of you will read this and say... Hummmmph I don't teach my kid to ignore the law, lie, cheat, steal... Or blame it on Obama, or the schools, media, hell blame it on the neighbor down the street or the government.

Maybe, just maybe that little voice will nag you a bit the next time you fuss about a slow driver, the LEO running the radar, or some other SILLY RULE, or STUPID LAW...

I'd kinda disagree,
On a case by case basis thats probably true. Lots of kids never have someone thump them in the head or take a belt to their little tailends. But, at the same time there is a slim majority of folks that show their kids that theres consequences to poor decision making.
My kids for example know exactly what happens when you do wrong.
many times my self or the wife take the kids out in public we get compliments on how well our kids act. All of my friends kids are good as well. I WILL NOT accept responsibility for the act's of society at large because i am not the problem nor did i cause it. When people want to blame the village its typically because they know THEY have failed. At lease i have not to this point.
Our society has many problems but they are all attributed to the failure of individuals.
I do feel bad that many kids have no example to live by but with 2 jobs and 2 kids i cant help them

There's validitity in each post.
Kids watch what we do and mimic it for the most part. If you're a good parent, you'll have good kids.

I see all kinds of good kids here on this forum and at hh's.
Keep up the good work TBHers.

[TUCO]

Yes, we are the impression we leave on others.

You Betcha!

It is our duty to set a good example for the young folks wherever we are.

We should always keep this in mind whether at home, in public, around the campfire, in the field, or on TBH.

Lead by example.

[keng]

I have worked at a public school for a little over 3 years now. Just about every day a student makes me shake my head, but some of the parent actions make me say "wow". Not all kids or parents are idiots, but idiot parents have idiot kids.

[Mike Javi Cooper]

How things have change in the last 60 odd years… Maybe it’s just how I was brung up, but things sure have changed. And I don’t mean all the technology, I mean people and how they think and behave.

I can remember acting out as a child and one of my dad’s friends whapping my backside a good lick cause dad was on the other side of the room and couldn’t reach me..

I can remember my dad walking me back to the store and laying the belt to my backside every time my foot hit the ground, because I took a candy bar without paying.. making me pay double and apologize…

I can remember sassing a teacher at school, and getting 5 licks with the paddle, then getting another whipping when dad got home.

I can remember dad and some of his friends taking a neighbor man out in the alley and whipping him until he couldn’t stand because he beat his wife. I can remember my dad and mom buying groceries for that man’s wife when we were just barely getting by, because he drank up his paycheck..

I can remember a fellow calling a friend of my dad’s an SOB and a liar, and I can remember that man lying in a pool of his own blood from the beating he got. AS my dad explained it… he shouldn’t have called him a liar, a man is only as good as his word and that man would go hungry before he’d lie or go back on his word. And you never call someone an SOB unless you want to fight… you not only insult him… you insult his mother… Never let a man insult your mom, your sister, your wife or another good woman..

Back then if you hung out in the garages and workingman places you heard plenty of cussing.. But you never heard anyone disrespect another fellow without there was a fight..

[dcbrown]

How things have change in the last 60 odd years… Maybe it’s just how I was brung up, but things sure have changed. And I don’t mean all the technology, I mean people and how they think and behave.

I can remember acting out as a child and one of my dad’s friends whapping my backside a good lick cause dad was on the other side of the room and couldn’t reach me..

I can remember my dad walking me back to the store and laying the belt to my backside every time my foot hit the ground, because I took a candy bar without paying.. making me pay double and apologize…

I can remember sassing a teacher at school, and getting 5 licks with the paddle, then getting another whipping when dad got home.

I can remember dad and some of his friends taking a neighbor man out in the alley and whipping him until he couldn’t stand because he beat his wife. I can remember my dad and mom buying groceries for that man’s wife when we were just barely getting by, because he drank up his paycheck..

I can remember a fellow calling a friend of my dad’s an SOB and a liar, and I can remember that man lying in a pool of his own blood from the beating he got. AS my dad explained it… he shouldn’t have called him a liar, a man is only as good as his word and that man would go hungry before he’d lie or go back on his word. And you never call someone an SOB unless you want to fight… you not only insult him… you insult his mother… Never let a man insult your mom, your sister, your wife or another good woman..

Back then if you hung out in the garages and workingman places you heard plenty of cussing.. But you never heard anyone disrespect another fellow without there was a fight..

AMEN to every word. Same way I was raised