How Times Have Changed

I am a child of the 60's.  Well actually I was born just before the 60's but am very much a child of the 60's.  Corporal punishment was the in thing although it was waning somewhat.  While I never got the strap at school I did see others get the strap.  I had to go to Catechism each Saturday morning and had I learned earlier to not be so expressive, it would have saved a few hits on the head and knuckles with a ruler or kneeling on beans.  I'm telling you those nuns were beyond brutal!  My Mom did not believe in hitting kids but trust me should could put the fear of those ice blue eyes into you.  I'm not sure what would have happened, I just knew there was a line you didn't cross.  We were taught to use our manners and show respect for both person and property.

These were the same values we raised our kids with.  Respect is one of the biggest things there is.  Like my Mom we did not believe in corporal punishment.  Our kids were well behaved without the need to hit them.  Now fast forward to today's kids.

I volunteer in the school breakfast program and along with my other credentials I am a certified teacher.  Today's kids have no respect.  They have been raised in a 'me first', 'instant gratification' society that leaves no room to consider how other people feel.  The Ontario school system can no longer fail a child, give a child a failing grade or hold them back because they fail to perform because that might damage the child's psyche.  Well, I hate to tell them but out in the real world if you fail to perform you get your butt kicked to the curb but that's besides the point.  A child cannot be strapped in school and a teacher can no longer stand a child in the corner for misbehaviour,  Again, it is that damaging the psyche thing.  Parents can't smack their kid and if they do, they had best hope no one sees them or the kid doesn't call 911 on them.  Essentially the kids rule the roost now a days with no real repercussions for their actions.  This past week one of the kids in the breakfast program who is about 8 years old and who does have a record for going after her parents with a knife and who has tried to commit suicide attacked another student taking an actual chunk out of the students arm via a vicious bite.  She was suspended from school for one day.  That's it!  A couple of days ago, the new reported two children about ages 7 to 8 setting fire in garbage bins.  They haven't found the kids yet but they will and when they do the hands of the police are tied.  Oh sure they could report to CAS that these are kids at risk but chances are very good that CAS already knows that.  At any rate the kids will face no consequences for their actions.  The reality is parents, teaches and the law has no authority over the kids today and they know it!  I shudder to think of what will happen when these young ones become of age because quite frankly some of them are already little hellcats without control.  


Garden Gnome
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