What happened to the good ole days of parents raising their children? While this is more so about parents fighting for their role as the parents and less to do with how other people parent, I do agree we have a culture of sheep that allow others to raise their children because they either do not know any better, don’t care or feel as though it is everyone else job to raise their kids. When I became a parent for the first time, I was about to turn 21 twenty days after her birth, I had run a ruckus of a life up until that point and I didn’t much correct myself for a lot of months after her birth because I needed therapy to guide me properly. With that being said, I worked my butt off to be MOM, because as soon as you give birth to a child, and don’t put them up for adoption or have a reason that another person has to assist or raise the child, then it’s your duty to be that MOM. Always. No Excuses.
Sure, I have issues with both of my parents, there are days where some deep memories hit the surface and I get a little sad or concerned, but then I realize, I have grown up. What my upbringing was like or anything that happened back then is in the past, it happened. Those things cannot be changed, but I can change the pattern and I can change my life. I live each day to be that changed person, the positive outgoing and involved parent. I am not a helicopter parent by any means, I believe in trust building exercises or situations if you wish to call them, with my children. I believe in giving a bit of lead way and allowing them to show me I can trust them. That’s how I believe all parents should be, utilize your parental role as a means to guide your child(ren) into adulthood.
One thing that baffles me is all of the parents who do not have a clue what is going on in their children’s lives. How can you be a parent and not have a clue? I guess that stems from not building the bond from a young age or maybe scenarios have happened outside of your control causing you to lose that connection as a parent, but still, even then, work harder! I am a hard ass, the only reason I say that word is because it’s the only definition that fits. I am that type of person and parent; I am hard on myself to be better each day, to be the right example for my children and others. I am also a hard ass on other parents that are close to me, because I know they can be the same way. No, they don’t need to be the parent I am, that may not work for who they are or who their kids are; but they need to work hard to be the PARENT.
I shake my head at the words I have heard so many parents say “well the school can deal with them” or “well the police can deal with them”, is that really the society and future we are creating for our world? No parent is being held accountable to parent their child. No parent is standing up and saying “hey I am the parent, I have rights”. I do not understand this concept; in my opinion, parents are to be the parents and outsiders are to be whatever their role is. Let’s say school for example; my children are sent to school to LEARN, not be PARENTED, not to have decisions made for my children without my knowledge. That is unacceptable.
Since when do so many parents just let the school systems raise their children, take their children out of classes for various activities without the parents knowledge nor consent? I guess, when you place your child into the hands of a public school system, you are indeed entrusting your child with that school system for the length of the school day and school year, however, you are not handing over your rights and responsibilities as a parent. You still have the right to say “no thank you, that is not part of a normal education for my child and they do not need that” you also have a right to speak up and stand up for injustice that may be happening to your children. Do not become another sheep, do not follow the crowd. Do not be scared to speak up for what’s best for your own child, I am so sick of watching other children be raised by people who shouldn’t be raising them, I am so sick of watching things happen under the nose of parents because the parents just openly trust anyone.
We no longer live in a society where you can trust everyone, sure this makes it difficult to know who you can trust, but if you are involved, have open communication and engage in being a part of your child’s day to day activities at any level you can {even an email to the teacher to know how the day went or a letter, etc} then you will be one step ahead of the rest. Do not allow school systems or other provides for your child raise them, you have rights. You need to fight to be the parent, to be respected as such and to have a say in all that your child partakes in every single day of their adolescent life!
Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
