People often wonder why kids are “so bad nowadays”. I really do think some of it comes down to parenting.

At both Madison’s school and Will’s school, I see kids coming out of cars with their coats not even zipped! Now, I live in Illinois where it has been hovering between 15-20 degrees all week. Not only are my kids zipped, they have hats, gloves, hoods up etc. Heck, they’d be in boots if there was enough snow for that right now.  We aren’t talking eight graders here either — I’m seeing this will preschools and kindergardeners.  You know, kids who don’t know  better.

Another parent lets their kids out at 8:40 or earlier (this is preschool).  The teachers don’t let the kids in till 8:50.  Again, in 20 degree or less weather, are you nuts?

This isn’t engineering jobs or rocket science people!  I just don’t get it at all.  Another example of this is parents who go to Monday Night Football game and stay out late on Monday night, only to keep their kids out of school the next day because they were too tired to take them.  The best is when these same parents tell their kids to lie and say they were sick.  Seriously?  What are we teaching our kids here?

Another annoyance of mine happens daily at Will’s school.  We are suppose to line up (as parents) behind the orange cone that has your kids’ teacher’s name on it.  Simple, right?  Well, it’s now, what, December?  Parents still aren’t doing this.  They aren’t asking for engineering recruitment here.  They are asking you to stand in line!  You aren’t getting your kid any quicker than I’m getting mine by NOT listening.  Most of the time, the teachers call the kids out who’s parents are doing what they are suppose to.

By no means am I a perfect parent.  I’ve made a ton of mistakes along the way.  However, if I don’t stand in line like I am suppose to, what am I teaching my kids?  If I tell my kids to lie, what am I teaching my kids?  If I don’t follow the rules of the road, what am I teaching my kids?

Kids learn by example.  The watch what you as a parent does.  If you don’t follow the rules, how do you expect your children too?  Madison and I butt heads every single day.  However, it’s for her own good (I hope she sees that when she’s older!).  If I didn’t care, I’d  let her do whatever she wanted.

And unfortunately I see a lot of that lately.