If You’re a Parent of an Elementary School Child, Don’t Do This

 Parents today are much different from the parent of the 70’s and 80’s. The parental units of today must each hold down a full time job or two part time jobs. It was easier to be a stay at home mom and there were rules to follow. Yet, there’s one thing very noticeable in our world at elementary schools today and that is the lack of manners and discipline found in our youngsters.

     These must be taught and addressed in the home, now, if we want them to become the people in the kind of world we dream about. Day after day, there are so many disrespectful children talking back to adults at school, it makes me wonder what will become of these children when they grow up and enter the real world.

Because some parents do not take full control and responsibility for their children’s behavior at home, it is all flooding into the classrooms on a daily basis. Students are talking disrespectfully to their classmates and being rude to the adult teachers on every level such as STEAM class teachers (Science, Technology, Art and Music), resource teachers and recess duty teachers. When an adult asks a student to discontinue an action because it is bad behavior, children at school will either ask why or flat out ignore the adult. Since this is how they react to rules and their bad behavior at home, this is how they respond at school.

If your child talks back to you at home, they are doing it at school. If your child is disrespectful to you at home, they are acting that way to the adults around them at school. If this continues in our schools, these children will not have the skills to be ready for life let alone a job.

You might be thinking that the schools will take care of the disciplinary side of your child, but if you do not support good behavior at home, your child will be spending many years after high school with you. Since they will possess behavior not becoming of a good employee, they will be on your couch or basement for a long time.

Think about it, doesn’t it make sense to be the parent and rule the roost? After all, why did you have these children? Why did you invest so much money and time into these creatures? Don’t you want to see it through? Well, I can tell you now, if you don’t start setting rules, consequences, and rewards, your future is going to have them in it, right there on your couch and in your refrigerator day in and day out.

You might be thinking to yourself, “How do I change everything now that it seems like all hell has broken loose?” You may be surprised that the answer is simple. Simply start. Start by making rules, making consequences when the rules are not followed, and most importantly, follow through. If they break a rule, be sure they receive the consequence. Simply stay on track.

Keep in mind that students seek and know the rules in class. They follow those rules or they know they lose PE time, Fun Friday time, and computer time. Once parents aren’t consistent with the rules at home, it will be back at square one. Your children know that they will lose their favorite things at school, so make the same protocol for home. Take the stand to be the parent. Make the do’s and don’ts and stick to it. You will love stretching out and enjoying your own couch in your old age.

*Cartoon by Emmanuel Chaunu