Last Updated on March 20, 2018
A while back, one of my friends told a story about a teacher who had been threatened by an irate parent. Why? Because she dared to discipline that parent’s child. No hand touched the child. The teacher merely corrected the child’s negative behavior.
In response, another friend told a story about a teacher getting hit by one of the kids in her class. When she reported the behavior to the parent, the parent scoffed and looked at the child. “You wouldn’t hit her, would you?” And that was it. The parent walked off with the child and never said another word about it.
While I feel for those teachers, the ones I really feel for are those kids. What are they learning? Certainly not to take responsibility for their actions and to respect authority. Children raised to think they are never wrong are a menace to society. Society requires rules, but what happens when individuals start believing the rules only apply to everyone else? Nothing good.
When I was young, if you got in trouble at school, it was twice as bad at home. Trouble at school, or anywhere, was a big deal. My mom even had me call and apologize once for not telling someone thank you for taking me to Arby’s. (Obviously, I remember the incident, and I made sure to tell people thank you after that and was often told what a polite person I was.) Calling the person was embarrassing, but it built character and character was what mattered.
I wonder if it is fear that keeps parents from disciplining their children. Are they afraid the kids won’t love them anymore? Or is it a manner of pride? Do parents not want to admit their child is wrong because it might reflect upon them? Or is there something else? What do you think?
Jennifer Dyer has an M.S. in Communications Disorders, which served her well in her professional career as a speech-language pathologist. Never did she imagine that her education and career were God’s way of preparing her to be a mom to her own daughter with autism. Today, she enjoys reaching out to other families who face similar diagnoses. As a cancer survivor, carpet-cleaning veteran, and originator of the “Messy House Ministry,” Jennifer feels blessed to share joy, peace, and humor with others facing life’s challenges. She is mom to two beautiful daughters and is thankful to be raising them, serving other families with unique needs, and using her gift of writing and speaking to minister to others. Jennifer is also the author of a youth fiction book series and is trusting God with His timing on publication. Jennifer has been a mom for 11 years. She and Brandon have been married for 13 years.
"We "are too worried about being their friends and not their parents. "We" don't want to "hurt their feelings etc. I remember on the first day of school each year when we were getting our tour of the school the teachers always made sure we had the detour to the principal's office so we could be introduced to the big blue paddle with holes. Things were alot less violent then and their was ALOT more unity. It is a shame we have turned parenthood into what it is today and that there seems to be so little respect and support for our (underpaid) teachers )=
I have seen what happens when kids are not disciplined, (with friends and family both) and do NOT want that for my kids. I tend to go the extreme with not letting my kids get away with bad behavoir. I'm more of the military mind set. In a healthy manner of course. Thank God I have a husband that keeps me grounded.
Very good post.