Do As I Say? Or----- Do As I Do?
In Gotta Keep on Tryin’ Gayle’s daughter, Vanessa is a spoiled, over indulged teenager—who makes some pretty bad choices in her rebellion against her mother (and her father). We’ve had many readers who just thought Vanessa was the worst kid—but then realized that Vanessa is really the new generation Gayle. Neither of us has kids—which gives us a very distinct and specific vantage point—we are observers of parent/child relationships, not participants. So we’re wondering---are too many parents today doing kids a disservice by providing them with too much and requiring too little responsibility in return? Do kids have an unrealistic sense of entitlement?
Do you think children unconsciously absorb their parents’ attitudes and behaviors, or do you think it takes a more active role to instill both negative and positive characteristics in children? Do parental actions speak louder than words?
Weigh in—let us know what you think!
Do you think children unconsciously absorb their parents’ attitudes and behaviors, or do you think it takes a more active role to instill both negative and positive characteristics in children? Do parental actions speak louder than words?
Weigh in—let us know what you think!
2 Comments:
Lawd H'Mercy... Why do y'all keep doing this to me. 1st friends and business now children. Danggone. Yes, I believe we give our children too much with too little responsibility. Case in point. In my home I have my one and only baby. She is 13 and fine as spring wine. She is also failing at least 2 subjects. No matter how much I punish, fuss, fight, spank (read whup her ass)and take from her she still has this crazy obliviousness to the severity of her actions (or lack of).
This child is not stupid. She could talk before she could walk. So who is to blame? Well, that would be me. I messed up by thinking that if I stressed education over physical labor she would keep up her end. There were very few chores in my house. Very little responsibility outside of school work.
What I didn't factor in is that work ethic is taught by doing work. ALL WORK. Now, I have had to go back to basics at 13 and the truth is her lack of work ethic and sense of pride is kicking my ass now and may very well kick hers later. Lesson learned. Hopefully not too late.
Well--we don't mean for you to feel like we're "picking" on you! But --- we do want to be provacative and that means asking the hard questions--or at least the semi-hard ones!! It's amazing what we learned from being required to mop the kitchen floor (clean the bathroom, etc.) every week isn't it?!
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