The little girl happily rode her tricycle, as she circled around and rammed into merchandise. She watched and smiled as shoppers tried to dodge her. Her father, oblivious to her presence, kicked back on a bench facing the opposite direction, with his eyes closed and his legs spread halfway across the aisle; his shopping cart turned horizontally blocking customers from passing.
What happened to parenting?
It seems that parenting is becoming more uncommon with every passing year. Is this because of the new laws/opinions concerning discipline? Is it because parents are more concerned with being their child’s friend instead of their parent? Or is it because some parents simply don’t care, or have the time, or the energy to say “no”?
Regardless of the excuse, it’s a parent’s responsibility to parent. But instead of parenting, they allow their children to jump over booths in restaurants, stand up on tables, and run around in public places unattended, while making ever place they enter into their own personal play-land. They yell, climb on strangers or under their legs, hang over their shoulders, kick the walls, slam everything in sight, and all without a care in the world.
Meanwhile, their parents (their “role models”) sit nearby having conversations with their friends, get drunk, get high, sleep, play games, text, or watch videos on their smartphones.
Small children walk down the street alone into the late night hours, and are even forgotten and left in restaurants.
Children – with no rules, no limitations and no direction.
Instead of training children for success, many of them are being trained to be unruly and disrespectful. Children are our future, and if the parents who aren’t parenting don’t start soon, then the future is going to be a very scary place.
Me - Who am I? 
I don’t know why people ignore the kids, and how do the kids survive? Mine would have been smushed in the street.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I completely agree. It’s amazing how they live through their childhoods these days. But, also not surprising how many of them don’t, or come out with no direction or feeling of purpose.
LikeLike
I know some good parents and I also know some who should not have even thought about conceiving. I think our standards have slipped a bit and its reflected in some of our children.
LikeLike
Same here. There are certainly some good parents out there. I only wish that all were that way. As you said, it is reflected in the children.
LikeLike
Interesting thoughts. I have 53 kids in my charge (with the help of 25 adults) this week for Vacation Bible School. Thankfully, almost every single one of them is very polite and well-behaved. There’s one though…I watched him literally climbing on every piece of furniture we have in one area, including tables. Could only get to him to correct that behavior one time, and was interested to see his grandmother, who is helping us this week, ignored it. In this particular case it’s a matter of simply being spoiled and allowed to rule the roost. I think there are many, many answers to your question…and I think adults have been saying the same things about certain kids/parents for centuries.
LikeLike
That’s a lot of kids. Bless your heart. You make a good point – out of the many children out there most of them are good. But the undisciplined ones certainly make their presence known. I think you’re right that it’s been going on for centuries, but it seems that around here at least, it’s getting worse. I sure hope I’m wrong though, as I don’t want to see how much worse it can get.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is a very sad issue 😦
LikeLike
It certainly is.
LikeLike
It’s a tough one, that’s for sure. And I don’t know if there is even an answer. 😦
LikeLike
You’re right. Every situation is different.
LikeLike
The sad thing is, the kids will love and respect you MORE if you set boundaries and stick with them. I have seen this many times over a 30 year span of caring for kids. The ones I’m the toughest on (in other words teach manners and respect) seem to like my company the best!
LikeLike
You are absolutely right about that. I’ve noticed this same thing with the kids I work with. Kids appreciate boundaries and limits. Furthermore, that’s how we show our love to them. Without love, we’d let them do whatever they want.
LikeLiked by 1 person
love this, and don’t get me started on the topic- one of my favorite rants!
LikeLike
Ha! I won’t. It sure can be a hot topic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘Parent’ is actually a verb. A doing word. Pity a lot of people don’t seem to remember that!
LikeLike
Exactly. It’s certainly not just a name. Just like love, which is an action. Love and parent go hand in hand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And its everyone’s future. Including the parents. For all of the reasons you stated, and more, parenting doesn’t happen. My immense gratitude to those who are doing a fabulous job.
LikeLike
You are right about that. Their lack of parenting will effect people on a much greater scale than they may realize. I agree with you – those who do parent deserve a great big pat on the back for doing their job.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My hope is that there are more good parents than bad ones. I have seen some parents yank their kids arms and berate them in public and that can’t be good for their growth either. It’s easy to have the proper balance, I’m with you, I’m kind of worried about our future if this is the direction parenting is going these days.
LikeLike
I’m with you on that. There does need to be a balance. Kids must not be abused or mistreated, but also should not be allowed to run free and never disciplined. I think that there are more good than bad, but unfortunately from what I see, the bad seem to be popping up more often.
LikeLike
Interesting topic. Like other bad things, the mostly we are reading about in the news are also bad behavior. The good people we don’t hear og see so clearly, but the bad ones demand a lot of attention in one or another way.
Kids need us to parent and we don’t need to be our kids best friend, but we do need to be and act like their best parents.
Some people should never have been allowed to have kids, either they don’t care or they abuse the kids, both are very bad.
I think that the egoism are talking very much here. All want their free lives and in same time, they do also wish to be part of a family, just they don’t need to be responsible also. Very sad.
LikeLike
You’re right about that. We mostly hear the bad news and rarely the good. The good kids and good parents are out there, just overshadowed by the bad ones. I agree with you that some people should never have had children. If they knew that they weren’t going to care to raise them properly, then adoption would have been a great solution.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree 😉
LikeLike
I don’t know, hon. It seems worse over there than here. Might be a culture thing?
LikeLike
It probably is. This country is a mess, in my opinion. I don’t know if it’s a culture thing necessarily. Maybe just a matter of backward priorities and lost family values.
LikeLike
Sad. I can’t say I’m sad to have left – it does seem things are a bit crazy for the worse back ‘home’. Thought Obama might have made a difference, but it didn’t work out as I’d hoped. Seems the country is even more divided than ever. The privileged teach their kids that they are, indeed, privileged. The disadvantaged teach their kids that they have been wronged by society and and they should be privileged too. So everyone acts like a jerk….
LikeLike
You are absolutely right on everything you mentioned. Sad, but very fitting summary of the US and its people. The division is getting way out of hand, and unfortunately the media feeds it even more by doing all it can to help that division grow and expand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Where did all those “tiny” rules about being polite go???… Great post and by the way: I’ve nominated you for an award: https://amommasview.wordpress.com/2015/06/18/the-versatile-blogger-award-2/
LikeLike
I have no idea. That is an excellent question. Thank you! I will head over and check it out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: My Picks Of The Week #28 | A Momma's View
The mighty ways of parenting have certainly changed! Back in “the day” children were held to a higher standard. Disrespect was not tolerated and if or when it occurred discipline was handed out quickly-without fear or concern of being accused of abusing the child…if only we could return to those days or at the very least those tactics.
LikeLike
They sure have! More kids these days are out of control and most of it is due to lack of discipline. My parents didn’t mess around. When we messed up, we got punished. Had they let me run wild, I would have questioned their love for me. We discipline because we love.
LikeLike
I agree 100%. We discipline because we love!
LikeLike
Pingback: My Picks Of The Week #26 | A Momma's View