Soap Box Moment...
Ok so I've recently been inspired by two things/people:
1. Jeanine Fitzgerald
I heard her speak for the second time and felt just as passionate and excited about her information. She is a behavior specialist and a former bad kid, seriously bad kid. As in bullied some of her classmates into locking their teacher in a closet after Jeanine had conned her into it. Oh and her father was teaching in the next room at the time.
She understands why children (and adults for that matter) have bad behaviors and how to help them. And I can't urge you enough to read her book, The Dance of Interaction, or hear her speak if ever given the chance. Esp. if you have children. I must say that parents in general these days are driving me nuts. And I know, I know, that I "shouldn't talk cause I'm not one," but whatever to that. I am a teacher of these children. I am a member of this society. And thus I believe it is important that adults, all adults not just parents, know that doing what is best for a child does not always feel good for them or you.
Children will cry. Children will fuss and fight, but it is our job to make decisions for them that they cannot make for themselves no matter how many tears fall, no matter how much whining, or other heartbreaking, annoying, tiring shiz happens. It's okay to say "NO" if you have a good reason. The best thing to do is follow through and win the battle that you have set out to win. As we all know, life's not easy, and trying to make it all peaches and cream only results in a sour, rotten, curdled mess.
That is my soap box moment. Now, please don't think that I am saying all of you do not go through this every day with your children. What I am saying is keep it up. Because what I am seeing as a teacher of young children is spoiled rotten brats who do not feel empathy or regret for the hurt that they cause others. I had two children like that this year. And their parents...do not hold them accountable, do not ever seem to use a firm hand, always allow the child to have a say, and feel sad about how things are going, mostly for their child's sake, but don't realize or choose not to have the balls to change the path their child is running down. So please, don't be like them and don't raise children like theirs. I can only do so much as their teacher, parents are by far the biggest, most influential teacher in a child's life.
2. Dateline NBC story Rescue on Roberts Ridge
Fantastic true story. If you didn't see it you should totally check it out.
Ok, any responses to my little rant or the awesome story of Nate Self and his men?
posted by Jenny @ 8:33 PM
2 comments
Chris Bloom:
You're totally spot on, and I think you especially have a say as a teacher. I listen to the stories my mom has from her teaching experience and it scares the bejebus out of me. Effective parenting begins AT HOME, and cannot be left to educators alone. Parents today seem to have this idea that they need to be best buddies with their kids, and not the evil overlords that they should be. I really enjoy chumming around with my kids, and I do hope they see me as a friend, but I want them to see me as a parent first. Another woman that you may find interesting in these topics is Penny Sparks. I saw her speak when I was in San Francisco this spring. She talks about "Enobled Parenting" - basically: being the king/queen of your domain, and putting your princes/princesses in their place. I have a CD of hers if your interested in borrowing it sometime. Nice topic! More kids stuff here!!
10:32 AM
Chris Bloom:
Just to clarify, when I said we should put our kids "in their place" I meant that we as parents may see them as princes/princesses, but we need to act as king and queen, leading them through life. This as opposed to the parent acting as the peasant under a tyrant child. I didn't mean "put them in the dungeon" or throw them in the moat or rule over them with an iron fist. In fact Penny spends a lot of time talking about showing them what a human does, and how to behave humanly.
10:39 AM
2 Comments:
You're totally spot on, and I think you especially have a say as a teacher. I listen to the stories my mom has from her teaching experience and it scares the bejebus out of me. Effective parenting begins AT HOME, and cannot be left to educators alone. Parents today seem to have this idea that they need to be best buddies with their kids, and not the evil overlords that they should be. I really enjoy chumming around with my kids, and I do hope they see me as a friend, but I want them to see me as a parent first. Another woman that you may find interesting in these topics is Penny Sparks. I saw her speak when I was in San Francisco this spring. She talks about "Enobled Parenting" - basically: being the king/queen of your domain, and putting your princes/princesses in their place. I have a CD of hers if your interested in borrowing it sometime. Nice topic! More kids stuff here!!
Just to clarify, when I said we should put our kids "in their place" I meant that we as parents may see them as princes/princesses, but we need to act as king and queen, leading them through life. This as opposed to the parent acting as the peasant under a tyrant child. I didn't mean "put them in the dungeon" or throw them in the moat or rule over them with an iron fist. In fact Penny spends a lot of time talking about showing them what a human does, and how to behave humanly.
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