I stumbled on this site titled 12 Steps to Raise a Juvenile Delinquent and it’s a great reminder to all parents that our children need our guidance, rules, and limitations. Let them run amok as children and we’ll have a world of rude, selfish adults who don’t know how to make smart decisions.
My husband and I talked about this very fact on our vacation just a few days ago. We went to a large amusement park with the girls and we were shocked at the lack of parental involvement. While we were waiting in a long line for a popular ride, one mother dropped off her 4 young sons (maybe ages 7-10) and then left them there to pummel each other for 45 minutes with these plush dice toys. Another boy kept getting out of line and then had to “excuse” himself through everybody else to get to where his father was waiting. On the way out of the ride a group of teens raced past us in order to get back on line.
At a different ride my husband was bumped multiple times by a 10-year-old boy behind him. Even though the mother was right there with the child, not one comment was made to him about how rude that was or to stop. Finally having enough, my husband said something to the boy, whose only response was, “Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” No, you can use that excuse after the first time. After the 10th time you’re just plain rude and obnoxious.
As a mother, I would be mortified if my girls acted this way. We’re actually afraid of what this next generation will be like because as teens, they’re acting like a bunch of thugs who only care about themselves and those are not the types of people we want as our business or world leaders.
