Another sad sign of the times.......

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Originally Posted by mhailey

Honestly, if you want my opinion on why children now are less educated than in the past, BLAME THE BABY BOOMERS!

This is what I edited out of my last post. Seriously, can anyone think of a worse generation than the baby boomers? Talk about self centered, egotistical, megalomaniacs. Under their tutelage, the divorce rate sored, families broke down, day care centers rearing the youths of the nation became the norm, abortions ran out of control, the deficit soared, the savings rate of this nation is in the negative (first time since the great depression). They are focused sole upon what they want, right now, the consequences to others be damned. They are the "ME" generation.

No wonder today's children are disconnected. They were reared by Kinder-care, Montessori day care, or any number of other holding pens for our generation. Then we grew and became latch key kids. Both parents worked, and demonstrated that the love of the almighty dollar took precedence over their children, and when the kids got in the way of making money, we were put in "after school" programs designed as yet another holding pen for kids.

And don't give me that BS line that it takes two incomes just to survive today. That's complete Bull SH&*!!!!! It takes two incomes to buy all of the crap that society has stated you need to be a good little consumer automaton. Do you need the three car garage, 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom, custom kitchen, granite counter tops, new car every 3 years, etc, ...? HELL NO. But the Boomers just can't live without it, and they have sacrificed their families, morals, and ethics on the alter of consumerism and the ever present pursuit of self indulgence.

And now their children are screwed up, because they received no guidance, no direction, no moral upbringing, no parental involvement, no LOVE, and the children are crucified by the intelligent elite as being stupid or unfit. That's the boomers passing the buck. The boomers created this situation, and they need to step up an own it!!!

My two cents. Take it or leave it.

Matt

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HEAR HEAR !!!

I read an interesting essay the other day that linked the lack of parents taking responsibility and the entitlement of children to Mr. Rogers. You know, telling kids that they're more special than they really are and all that.

Now if only I could find the link again.

What azjoe said, +1. Discipline works.

One success story (so far):

This past March my daughter calls me from Arkansas (where she lives). My Grandson (13 then) was not studying, and fighting in school so often that the school said the next time he goes to Juvenile Hall. She says, "He's uncontrollable, do you want him?" I drive to Arkansas and have papers notarized at the local small town courthouse.

Upon arrival back in Indiana I take him to school and give them permission to paddle him w/o asking me first (permission was needed before they could do it). I then, in his presence, gave each of his teachers a slip of paper with my phone number and instructions to call me regarding any problem whatsoever. So far, they have only called me 3 times. None of those calls were in the last 6 months. His grades went from C-F to A-C. His ability to read has increased exponentially, in 10 months he has went from "See Spot run" to adult level science fiction novels.

No, I do not paddle him myself (although I would not hesitate to). I use the exact same discipline methods that the U.S. Armed Forces use on all new recruits. Many recruits are, in fact, minors. My methods are therefore IMO "government approved". Works great. (He can also now do 4 times as many pull-ups and push-ups than anyone else in his class)

Get involved, it doesn't take much extra time... The results can be astounding.

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Originally Posted by mhailey

You show me a family from 1946 through 1964 where it was not the traditional family.

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Mine. And the same was true of many of the kids I went to school with. But I'd agree it wasn't the norm yet.

Matt, I'm not trying to be argumentative about this. Much of what you say is true. But not all... I know because I lived through it all... every single year of it... I was born in 1946. The acknowledged BB is someone born between 1946 and 1964... that means that BBs reached the age of 21 in the years from 1967-1985. From what I've read, the earliest pinnings of the hippie movement actually started pre-1960. Note that by 1960 Dylan, Leary, Huxley, Guthrie, etc. were all certainly much more than 14 years old. By 1965 the "hippie" sub-culture in San Francisco was actually referring to themselves as hippies and the Legalize MJ and the Sexual Freedom League were well established movements... again, this was not being done by 19-year olds. I would certainly agree that the majority of the BBs were swept up in it as the music and drugs were easily attractive to teenagers. And they were both victims and perpetrators of it, I guess... but it's simply incorrect to say they started it.

A different perspective... according to my parents and grandparents, following the crash of '29 many families split up... fathers or mothers just walking out the door, never to be seen again. Many started other families in other parts of the country w/o officially getting a divorce. Lots of kids were born out of wedlock because the people couldn't afford to get married. During the flapper era there were lots of unwed mothers too... if you had the money, you got an abortion... otherwise you gave the child up at birth for adoption... either way, it was kept quiet. Drugs and alcohol were readily available. WWII created lots of single parent families, too. A huge number of fathers and mothers were killed in the war, still others fell in love with someone else during the war and never came home... or they came home and divorced and then married the other person. Lots of mothers who worked during WWII continued to do so after the war... I knew a couple dozen such families when I was growing up. It's just simply not as cut and dried as you think. And if you want to talk about how the country got so screwed up, remember that there are only two BB presidents... Clinton and Bush (both born in 1946, BTW)... things were getting pretty screwed up long before them. Matt, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Joe,

I don't want to come across as attacking you, as I am not. Differences of opinion are what make the world go round. Believe it or not I highly respect your opinions, and hold you in high esteem. I hope there are no hard feelings.

Matt

I blame France...

Nah, not really. I do blame the idea that all children are just the very best and most special. Honestly, I think it's all come back full circle. Compare the generation of parents fresh from the Depression. Their motto was "my child will never do without". Fast forward to now where children are taught that everyone has an equal chance and that their circumstances dictate their success. Both generations of children were ingrained with this idea that they were the best and extra special. Their parents gave/give them anything and everything they could/can. This breeds an unfortunate sense of entitlement and paves the way for the blame game. Which leads me to my next point of:

Let's quit blaming this generation or that. Attack the problem head on. Change the whole Hillary Clinton way of thinking that is "the child knows what's best for itself". Tell the village to shove off and take an interest in your own child. As we start to pass this lawsuit happy period, I think we'll see an improvement in the schools. When enough teachers have called bullshit to this fealty game and schools start saying that parents can either make their kids behave, the school can make them behave, or the parents can find another school.

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Originally Posted by Quick Orange

As we start to pass this lawsuit happy period,

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DON'T SAY THAT!!!!!!!!!!!! That makes me want to cry!!!

Don't listen to him people. SUE, SUE, SUE. it is the way to happiness.

PM me for my card.

Matt

Opportunistic cur:nono::roflmao

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Originally Posted by mhailey

PM me for my card.

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Old communist principle - 'trust but verify'! Soooo, put Quick in jail as a proof that you are worthy and I'll hire you to sue the whole US government! Think of all the taxpayers money that the government has - the cut will be juicy, I promise :D

Whoa, whoa, hey now. I just got my hones- I'm not ready for jail just yet.