I was really shocked the other day at school some of my students were talking about the 'bad' things they have done and were asking me what 'bad' things I had done. I said that I had been pulled over by the police when I was on my bike for not signalling properly at a roundabout! Then one of the girls said 'thats nothing, I was arrested for shoplifting and spent four hours in a cell when I was 13'. I was really shocked at this and other pupils began telling stories of when they had stoled things from shops.
I really could not believe what I was hearing, since when did it become ok to shoplife? Since when did it stealing to be something become and thing you are not ashamed of, even something you are proud of!
The students were saying that I hadn't lived because I hadn't stolen anothing and that it was an adrenaline rush.
What is the world coming to?! I was brought up to believe that stealing was wrong and thus is something that I have never done. What do they teach these kids at school?
There seems to be a lot of things that are culturally okay with the youth of today. I try to look at the extreme cases of youths trying to be different and I think back to how my parents felt about kids in the 60's/70's. They were so appalled by some of the dress styles and actions back then. I myself can't stand lying or stealing. I think both are so wrong. It's one of the hardest things to teach my children. and I work hard to do it. I wonder how many parents are indeed checking out of parenting because it's too hard and forgetting to teach these vital lessons.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for a wonderful post,we have 3 children, I try to set an example, If I get undercharged I tell the clerk , ect. but today parents are not teaching these values anymore and it makes me just sad for the future. the teachers are telling me in 1st grade they are all talking about how their parents are in jail. how do these kids have a fighting chance. morals have just been pushed aside. I remember as a child I ate a grape in the supermarket and my mom marched me to the manager and I had to tell him , I never did it again.
ReplyDeletemy children all about the age of 3-4 have taken somthing that was not there's and I did the same thing my mother did and they never did it again.
I'm thankful for the ones that don't have the stability at home who have wonderful teachers like you who are such good role models!!!
sorry I went on and on
Like Heidi I marched my daughter to the cashier and had her apologize for stealing a jingle bell. they even called security and they came and talked to her. That was over 20 years ago and now she is a teacher. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI stole something once when I was eleven, a chewing gum. I was petrified & just never did it again because I felt so guilty! Kids these days think they can do anything, criminals are glorified, the media makes out that if you're bad you're cool, all the movie stars & sports stars they look up to take drugs & go out boozing... there's not many good role models left :(
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