The Good Old Days

I always have to giggle to myself whenever I hear people of my generation and those above us speak of how “kids these days have no respect and are worthless.” That sentiment or something similar has been expressed by every group of 30+ year olds since the beginning of civilized time.

There is a curmudgeon sitting in a rocking chair on a porch somewhere expressing this very thought this very minute. And, by the way, it makes you sound SO OLD! You might as well follow it with “When I was young I used to have to walk uphill both ways to school in the snow with steel boots and four coats on.”

In the 60’s the old timers complained that the hippies were ruining America and its wholesomeness. In the 50’s Rock and Roll was destroying our youth. There is always a new culprit and new fingers being pointed.

Many like to blame this lack of respect on the lack of discipline and order by parents. In reality, crappy parents have been around since the dawn of time!! Think back to your school days, weren’t there some nasty, spoiled, rude bullies with no focus in your class? There certainly were in mine!

I also hear some baby boomers complain that were we allowed to smack and whip our kids like they used to in the much better abusive days, then kids would mind their manners. This is the most ridiculous excuse to fall back on antiquated discipline methods that I have ever heard! My parents didn’t whip or spank me or my siblings ever and we are very well rounded and respectful if I do say so myself. We were motivated by a desire to make our parents proud and that is what parents should strive for. It has been proven time and time again that the only thing a hit teaches a child is that when someone does something they don’t like then the solution is to hit.

Parents do more research now a days in more books and sources than were ever imaginable or available in the past. I know parents who spend a good part of their free time educating themselves on how to be good parents in order to produce children who are well rounded members of society. Of course there are those desperately angry parents that we see smacking their screaming child in the middle of the toy aisle at Wal-Mart (one of the main reasons why I don’t go to Wal-Mart;) but those parents and unfortunate children have always been and will likely always be. All we as a society can do is keep educating ourselves and evolving as times change rather than constantly looking to the past for the “Good Old Days.”

Now, class, go watch “Pleasantville” to conclude today’s lesson.