Recently, I read an article about a teenage girl who was suspended from her high school for wearing a tank top to school.
(Please don't get me wrong, I am pro tank top-it's hot outside and we should be able to dress accordingly.)
What struck me about this girl was that she (and her parents) knew what the rules were and yet, she broke the rules and was offended that she had to pay the consequences.
Parents! We have to stop believing that our kid's happiness is our top priority.
They are kids!
If there is a rule to follow, then it is our responsibility to teach our kids that the rules apply to them.
No! They don't have to agree with the rule-but they do need to respect it.
There are other ways to pursue change AND be respectful! If you don't like the rules then take action! Start a petition or go to a school board meeting and plead your case!
As parents, we have to stop catering to our children's happiness and teach them to be adults.
Life doesn't always go the way we want.
If we don't prepare our children for adulthood, then the real world will be a very cruel place for them when they grow up.
If they disrespect their boss-they will get fired.
We have to remember that we are raising adults. We have to keep the END in mind!
Who (not what) do you want your kids to grow up to be?
Compassionate, Respectful, Responsible, Loving, Selfless, Friendly, Team Player, Encouraging, Loyal, Forgiving, and Wise?
How do we teach them those things if we are constantly catering to their happiness?
As parents we are to serve as guides for our kids so that they are ready to launch into adulthood. THAT is our job-NOT catering to their happiness.
Let's raise this generation to the be the best one yet!
Agreed. Teaching the nuances of rule-following vs. rule-breaking was a hard thing for us. Daniel believes in asking forgiveness rather than permission while I tend to assume rules are put in place for a reason. The one thing we always agreed on was giving respect to the authority who'd made the rule and expecting Thomas to accept it until/unless it changed. Parenting is hard. Of course, our boy is finding adulting hard, too. Thanks for writing!
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