I see people over the course of my day, customers at my job, people walking around, in news stories, etc., and I see them with their children, or hear them talking about them, and I can’t help but be angry. Why them? I’m not talking about parents in general. Many of them are good, respectable people who deserve to be blessed, and who I don’t doubt are contributing decent human beings to society as a whole. No, I’m talking about the other people.
I come across the rudest, often extremely inconsiderate people, and they have their kids with them, absorbing that behavior. I see people who clearly don’t care about educating their children, whether by admitting in conversation that they don’t worry about it, or by simply not speaking properly, resulting in a child growing up thinking that is acceptable. I see news stories about abuse on top of abuse, neglect on levels even my houseplants don’t experience, or, as displayed in my new “favorite” video, disrespect being caught on camera and celebrated by millions instead of questioned and dealt with through discipline. I’m speaking specifically about the cupcake kid and his mother, who has more interest in internet fame than raising a respectful child.
I’ve heard many complaints to the tune of “he’s learning that behavior from somewhere, and that’s the problem”. I don’t agree with that at all. If that kid’s father talks to the mother that way, and she accepts it, that’s her own problem. My complaint is, the child is emulating this behavior and no one seems to care. If you find it amusing when a child act like this, that’s fine. Laugh about it later. But laughing while you record it, and more importantly, allowing it to go on for 3 minutes, is bad parenting. The longer you allow that, the more he’ll grow up thinking this is how you deal with people, and as grown ups, we should all know by now that that kind of behavior WILL cost you in life, from jobs to relationships to friendships. But who knows? Maybe I’m the one that’s wrong. Maybe that’s why I don’t get to have children.
I’m sure having children teaches me some lessons that make seeing certain parenting behavior as acceptable, but for now, I can tell you that what I see way too often are unfit people practicing being unfit parents, and in the process, raising more unfit people. I want nothing more than to provide a good home environment, a good upbringing, and decent values to new humans in the hopes of making this a better world. Unfortunately, that opportunity is far too commonly given to those who waste that chance. I just don’t get it. Why not me? Why them?
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Dads Without Kids 