You are probably wondering why I want to know this, actually when I think about it I don't think you are. Everyone can see that today's society has gone to shit (excuse the language). There are more homeless people today than there was 10 years ago, victims of crime are on the rise, alcohol and drug use is becoming too common and too easy to obtain and obesity is just getting out of hand. These are just a few things that are nationally recognised there are more. There are even some that people may seem as minor, but minor situations or problems can and most likely will escalate. For example children's mannerism's have been thrown out the door, their language is atrocious and respect is just not even factored in. What is going on??
I really should actually tell you what got me on this rant, so here goes....
As you may very well know I work in a child care centre, and I see children come and go everyday. Each child is different but they all learn from their parents and I was really traumatised by a conversation I had with one of the 3-4 year old boys. For this recollection I am going to call him X (as I cannot tell you his name).
We were outside on a beautiful sunny afternoon. I was sitting on the edge of the sandpit with a group of children digging a tunnel through the sand. At one point during this time sand was flicked up onto my shoe. I looked at the children and said "Oh no, my shoe is broken and sand is getting in."
X looked up at me and said "Don't worry when I grow up I may be able to to fix it."
I looked at him and asked "Why when you grow up? what are you going to be?"
X replied " Because I will be a Bloker."
One of the 5 year old girls sitting next to me asked X "What's a Bloker?"
X told her "It's a grown up that smokes."
I was shoked. So I asked him "Why do you want to be (as he put it) a Bloker?"
"Because I want to smoke and when I am a grown up I am going to smoke." X replied.
I was completely flabbergasted that a 4 year old boy wanted to smoke. So I told him that it smoking was bad for you and would make you sick.
He just looked at me and told me "But Jason smokes."
I asked him who Jason was, turns out it was one of his dads.
I really didn't know what to tell this kid, I was completely distressed by this.
Seriously what are parents teaching their children? Obviously not much. I come to work everyday and children have no manners, are constantly swearing, using blocks as guns, pretending they have beer in their cups when playing in the home corner and wanting to smoke.
I really want to know what has happened to people. Parents should be teaching their children wrong from right and setting a good example after all you are a role model to your children. Children copy what they see and hear this is how they learn, and if parents aren't going to filter what they say or do in front of their children they really shouldn't have children, especially if they aren't talking to their children and explaining that what they heard was naughty and mummy and daddy shouldn't say or do those things etc, etc. This only makes the teacher's job more complicated, because not only do we have to teach them the basic literacy and numeracy skills we also have to teach them basic mannerisms and behaviour.
I am so sorry now I am just ranting on (arghhh I am being my sister hahah).
Anyway I hope that you take on board what you have read here today and encourage others to help teach our children :)
