More Responses - The First Generation Of Mismanaged Children

Not since the illegal immigration issue of June 2007 have I received such an overwhelming # of responses to an issue as the subject one.  Below are the two best responses I received since last night.  If you have not participated please make your views known - this is how we all learn & is the part I love the most.  I truly believe that the difference between our e-mail club & blog postings from the rest is the commentary added to the messages - not just getting an interesting e-mail & mindlessly hitting the forward button sending the message to everyone on your distribution list.  Had I done that with the original Leno video I think a few eyebrows may have been raised or many would have had a few chuckles but never would we have had the intellectual discussion & such varied points of view expressed.  Our group has been stirred up providing ideas that will educate & help the far too many Americans who think that the first man to walk on the moon was Louie Armstrong.

 

---Response #1---

 

Hi Doug:

 

I read the very enlightening responses.  Unfortunately, I cannot view videos on my computer due to a software bug.  However, I have a response to the responses.  Too often society forgets that we get the government and the school boards that we elect.  With that said, it is difficult for me to understand how any of the respondents can blame anyone but themselves.  I believe the contemporary word is "change".  Remember, we/US over-whelming voted for it.

Please do not mistake me for a contrarian or rebel rouser.  I am only looking at the landscape, both forward and backwards and reporting what I see. 

Recently, at a family gathering the conversation became heated. One of the relatives was into his second year of unemployment and cheerful about the prospect of future extensions.  This provoked ire from another relative who had his own business and was being penalized an addition $2400 to fill the coffers of the unemployment fund.  The relative in his own business was a carpenter and hasn't had a decent paying job in months.  The hostilities were flying back and forth in between mouthfuls of ham and mashed potatoes.  I thought my nose was going to be bloodied when I simply said we get the government we elect and their policies both the good & the bad.

---Response #2---

Thanks for the discussion, Doug – this has been so interesting, and oh, how I welcome some honest-to-good debate and discussion amongst intelligent people!

I have yet another spectrum to pose to your readers:

…more on the role of parents and/or family for that matter … the school and teachers cannot instill good work ethic in our children.  Yes, they can "lead by example" – but what about mom and dad?  Or grandma and grandpa?  Or whoever is the head of the family?  Take a look around, I see seniors returning back to work, bagging groceries – some, yes for financial reasons – others?  Their work was their life, or a way of life.  Where are the 16-year-olds?  Back when I was in high school (and no I'm not THAT old, but old enough), we could not WAIT to turn 16 and get a job, so we could earn money.  McDonald's was a right of passage – EVERYONE did their time working the food line!  And now, even McDonald's – the seniors are there too.  I do not in any way begrudge the seniors the opportunity to work if that is how they want to fill their days – but why are kids not encouraged to get a job and learn how things work?  They are walking (or driving) around with prepaid credit cards and cell phones paid by mom and dad (who, much to my astonishment, are paying text messaging bills monthly in the HUNDREDS of dollars) – and I just have one question?  What is going to happen when someday these same children are handed a bill to pay for these luxury items??  How will they know to survive in the workplace once they graduate from college if they have never struggled as a teen working for minimum wage but VERY happy to have their own paycheck? 

The teachers cannot teach children how to succeed in society – from a common sense standpoint.  That has to come from home, and right now – parents today are getting a failing grade in properly preparing their children to be viable, contributing members of society.  THAT has to change long before we try to make changes to the educational system that should be a continuation of what is taught at home, not a substitution for what SHOULD be instilled at home.

Thanks for the great discussion!

P.S. I recently had a discussion with a mom at the pool who told me her oldest son was going into teaching.  He graduated from a private Catholic high school and presumed the rest of the world had the same dedication he had towards learning.  He was absolutely shocked when he went into student teaching, in an affluent suburb – not inner city school – and the kids talked back to the teachers, and when he gave an assignment, came in the next day and only about 25% of the class had done the homework.  They laughed at him at the suggestion of consequences for not turning in the homework.  But he tried to stick with it.  He called her last week and told her he is changing his major.  He said you could not pay him enough money to go to work and face that environment every day.  He asked her, "what has happened to the hunger for learning?"