Be the Rod, Spoil the Child

Today after a business lunch, one of my friends and I went to a popular boutique here in Atlanta to say hello to another friend of ours. After we walked in, our friend said, "take a look at this video I was sent on Facebook today".

It was of a young girl that couldn't of been more than 6 or 7 years old and she was cursing and saying the foulest things.

I mean, MF this, Ho and Bitch that. I'll kick her Ass, etc.

I guess it was supposed to be funny because everyone in the background of the video was laughing, but it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen!

The crazy part about it is that she was sitting on what appeared to be her father's lap, as he encouraged her to say more.

I couldn't believe that someone so young knew how to use curse words in full on sentences and with so much passion. I mean, you would have believed the things she said, if she were an adult.

After thinking about it, my conclusion was simply WOW! Some people have real issues.

I mean, what type of intelligent, caring, nurturing human being would allow their child to even speak like that, let alone encourage it.

Is it a sign of the times or a sign that parents need to practice better parenting!?

I saw another extreme example of how we are losing our children when I was going to DC this past Sunday to host a party.

I was sitting next to a middle aged man who seemed very agitated. I thought it might be his nerves, until he started expressing his discomfort. He then got on the phone with his wife and began to talk about how he was beat up and spent all day getting x rays at the hospital.

But the way he was speaking was weird and as I started ease dropping more, I found out he was talking about his son. YES, HIS SON beat him up!

So as I began shaking my head in disgust, he expounds on the situation in detail.

Apparently, he went to pick up his sons bills, so he could pay them. His son obviously didn't want him to come over at the time. There was argument that ensued and his son be came violent. Snatching the keys from his father, then punching him in his ribs until he (the father) was able to get out of there.

What is happening with our youth?! It's evident that it has nothing to do with color or race, but has everything to do with ignorance!

If that 6-year-old little girl is taught at such an impressionable age that it is okay to speak like that, do you think she is going to make it in society?

The teenage boy who puts his hand on his father, now thinks it's okay to put his hands on someone else at will.

These are signs that WE HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR YOUTH!

We can no longer allow these types of things to exist.

As I mentioned in my inaugural blog, we are dealing with "Generation Access". These kids feel like there are no real consequences for there actions. What are you really taking from them, if you put them on punishment? They have too much access, with or with out you providing it.

Here's my two cents in no particular order...

1. Be knowledgeable of your kids interests and participate in those interests.

2. Discipline your child! Let them know there are consequences to their actions. REAL CONSEQUENCES!

3. Cut back on their intake of video and TV.

4. Encourage them when they're right and when they're wrong; explain to them what they are doing or did wrong.

5. PAY MORE ATTENTION!

We have to be more cognizant of who our kids are and not who we want them to be and REMEMBER, being a good parent is seeing things in your child your not looking for.

Be the Rod and Spoil Your Child!

Follow Kenny Burns on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@kennyburns

Comments

[Tamela90]

I saw this video as well. First, I started to listen and couldn't believe what I was hearing. So I stopped watching, then I said let me listen again, I turned the volume up and realized yes this little girl is cursing so once again I stopped listening. I was so thrown off by this video that I started listening a third time, this time trying to see if it was some sort of voice over or gag video UNTIL I heard the adults in the background coaching her to continue. She is doomed if this is acceptable behavior in her family.

[Angie J]

Once again I agree with you. Although I do not have any children, I know that I appreciate the way I was raised. Growing up I always thought my parents were hard on me but now I realize I just grew up with rules and if those rules were broken there were consequences. I thought the kids with no type of structure in their lives were lucky. They got to enjoy going out on school nights, parties, trips with no adults, etc. I even envyed the little things like phone privlages and being able to watch tv instead of having to read books. Now as an adult I feel like I am the lucky one, thanks to my parents and their rules I am who I am now.

[Pamela Taylor]

I totally agree with you. Our kids are so out of control. I blame the parents. There was once a time that parents demanded respect from their kids. Now, some parents try to be the kids' best friend. And our kids are given everything because we (parents) think that makes our kids have a better life than us. Please. It didn't hurt me to work for some of stuff I got. Today at 34, I don't curse in front of my mom and do what she ask me to do.

[BriLucero]

this is just plain ridiculous behavior from youth/teenagers. who teaches their child to do that and even worse laugh and egg it on. then knowing the laughing is just encouraging her to do it more and more. what is so crazy about that lil 6 yr old is that how does she know all this. Her parents are wrong and those adults around her cause they are the ones molding this child. i have a 1 yr old and would never think of taking her around such behavior cause kids do what we do. Now the teenage boy who does this to their parents. imagine someone coming to your house to pay your bills with the economy the way it is id be thankfull. obviously he must of missed the life lesson of gratefull 101. i couldnt imagine myself ever laying a hand on my parents or even someone else at that. this is just pitifull

[ZKoopman]

I agree with you that our youths have a sense of invulnerability and that they have no concept of punishment. But "Taking control of our youths!" isn't exactly the answer. You need to raise a child with moderate constraints when they're young, progressively giving them freedom as they mature and EARN those freedoms. You need to take them out of their sheltered microcosm and teach them.