No one ever said being a parent was easy... and if they did they must not have been a parent! Disciplining your children isn't fun, and often you don't see the fruits of your labor until YEARS down the road. I guess this is why so many parents just give up. When they let their children have everything they want, don't follow through on punishments, or speak out of both sides of their mouths. Actually, out of these three, letting your kids have everything they want might do the least harm!
Not following through on punishments teaches them that your threats are empty, and they won't take anything you say seriously (this gives them all of the power!!!!). Eventually they will meet a superior (boss, teacher, etc) that won't let them get away with things and then they will learn this lesson at a time when it is even harder. Also, when you SAY something is important, but don't ACT like it is you send a mixed signal... and remember that old saying "actions speak louder than words". If you say school is important, but don't care if your student does their homework or fails a test will they really believe you think school is important?
Teachers often see the effects of these actions and words in the classroom. If parents could only hear the thinks their children say about them in the classroom. It is easy to see why some students have the troubles they do in school based solely on what they say happens at home.
My poor child might think I'm mean, strict, "unfair", or too hard on her, but I guess that's what children of middle school teachers get. I hope her future teachers never hear some of the things that I hear from middle schoolers coming out of her mouth!
I just keep telling her (even at 2 1/2) that she will thank me for this someday!
No comments:
Post a Comment