Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1022
The entitled parent...
6/16/2018 at 11:45 AM
In the past two decades, many changes have come to those who decide to reproduce then that of the generations before. Attitude is a factor that's changed the most. Both of the parent and that from the public. I've seen it with so many young parents today that they feel entitled to do whatever they want, even if it totally means to go against the traditions of social/public manners, behavior and etiquette. I've always believed that your child is an representation and an extension for yourself. Meaning, that whatever your kid does/doesn't do under your supervision should reflect to what you are as an individual or as a parent.
In this case, (if it were to happen to me) my emotions as a parent would be that of horror and disappointment towards my child and shame and embarrassment upon myself. Far too often this latest generation of "adults" automatically go on the defensive, lash out and point a finger of blame in order to distract or deflect responsibility. That's what gets me mad... No recognition for accountability. I don't care how the staff/management reacted to the mess, I would be apologizing profusely while trying to find and use something to absorb/clean up. ...Even if that meant using my own hands or personal items right there during the moment. But that's just me and probably most people would feel/do from past generations. We get it, kids are kids. They're often a lot of work and sometimes accidents (deliberately or not) happen. However, many accidents are avoidable if parents are more diligent and paid better attention.
I remember once of a mommy who kept yapping and yapping all the while her little girl kept saying that she needed the bathroom. She interrupted the conversation about four times until after five minutes of squirming she pi$$ed right there on the carpet of the eyeglass/care place. Then the poor kid proceeded to catch royal hell from mommy and got dragged off out the door by mom, only saying one thing to someone else (and that was only to her friend) "God Damn It! Six years old and still can't hold it! ...Gotta go, I'll call ya later". The staff was in total dismay... Not even a sorry or acknowledgement of the mess. Another time I once saw a boy about six, hanged it out and pi$$ed against the shelving/products in Walmart while mommy standing further down the aisle with her nose pointed at the phone. She realized it in the final dribble & zip-up, called both her boys over in a curt voice and disappeared with them, heading towards the doors. Now once being a "country kid" myself, relieving oneself anywhere outside is a normal thing... But, I sure in the hell new better than not to do that at their age. And my mom wouldn't be over forty feet away letting my brothers and I run amok (And they were making quite the disruption before the incident) ...all the while READING! That's a huge peeve for me. A lot of these young parents need to pay full attention to their children! How is it that they can feel the slightest vibration or the most minuscule jingle sound and snap into action to respond to a device, but yet can't notice the obvious from their own kid? God, they're your kids! You should know what's going on with them all the time and anticipate their needs/actions both present and future. The only time these parents seem take notice is when there's a scream, crash or another adult gets involved ...Then it's totally "Mamma Bear" on them. (Both on the kid and the outsider) Where the hell was that passion, attention and assertiveness towards managing that kid, before it all "goes to pot"? You're in the public eye! Act appropriate and teach your offspring to do the same. It's not that hard to set a proper example for the kid.
Now, saying it's all the parents fault is not entirely accurate... Public opinion can produce snap judgement. Everyone can have an opinion, but it's different today when it's normal to have the social media frenzy of posting one opinion and one side of the story. Almost every time, the first posting of the story is likely the opinion of what everyone will remember. ...Which is so damaging whether if it's not true or accurate, the internet can make something like a simple unfortunate event go completely viral and be shared throughout the world. What a brutal experience. Something that if it were to happen to us that we hope would be just something that can be forgotten... Only to be read/seen, discussed and remembered by nearly everyone. I don't know what is worst, the bad public behavior of the child/parent, the fact people need to address and be involved in the incident or having it shared by the quickly judgmental, often misinformed social media. And ironically, it's that same social media that's distracting some of these parents form doing their job properly.
As far as my opinion is... People in general need to stop defending themselves with excuses and deflecting responsibility. This mom is doing the "new typical" ...accept little to no accountability by never first apologize, and/or never immediately recognize or admit fault/guilt, and/or produce a distraction to avoid the current situation (make a scene, start a irrelevant argument, play the victim, etc..), and/or include everyone and everything that can be thought of as a reason of justification, and/or ignore everything that just happened & leave and only say something rude back if approached/addressed/called out. What a wonderful new generation we have to take control & teach the future world. *sarcasm*
Maybe, before students can graduate from High School, every teen has to take (and pass) an mandatory social etiquette course so at least people can't claim ignorance as an excuse for their poor behavior.
Just my opinion, I could be wrong.