Christmas here and Gone

My how time has changed. I asked my students what will they be doing for the holidays and what they wanted. It was all about toys and games. I marvel at how parents seem to say they cannot afford anything to do with education, yet they seem all too happy to get their children games,latest gadgets and games.

We are raising a generation that no longer reads,run or play outside. A generation that could not care less about anyone else. It is sad indeed. I reminded my students that Christmas was a time of sharing and giving not just getting. Of couse most of them looked  at me as if I was crazy. I cannot say I blame them because if their parents are not instilling these traits in them then why would they be interested.

It saddens me how time has change and it seems as if we keep slipping further away from what was considered the norm,families reading,sharing together. Everything now is centered around gadgets and technology which seems to divide us and push us further as everyone's head and eyes are glued to a phone,ipod or some gadget.

What do you think?, is this normal or am I just an old school teacher stuck in the past.

Parents Of Today

 The more I teach the more I am concern about our present day parents. It seems as if morals and values of yesterday and times gone by have flown out the window. I see a genereation of parents who themselves need to be parented. We have a present day genereation that cannot think for themselves and it seems to  easier to give up than even making an effort.

It's a quick fix generation that wants everything done instantly. If something is not before them in black and white they cannot think for themselves much less out of the box. Which world are these children going to be living in the next few years.Parents have become a set of whiners and they seem to think they and their children are entitiled to every and anything.

This generation is living in a bubble and they complain about every damn thing and soon as challenges arise it's easy to committ suicide than work through problems.

My questions to educational institutions are, are we here to sugar coat the realities of life or be bold in telling parents that the resposibilites lie with them to train and groom their child for the world that exist tomorrow and beyond. I am sick and tired of North America not addressing the 'White Elephant' in the room. Parents are the real problems of children today. There are parents who think their children are some kind of trophy. They cannot discipline them,control them, but yet they expect teachers to give into every demand their children make.

I have said it a thousand times,we are not growing children but adults for tomorrow. If we do not discipline and train our children today how will they become effective citizens for tomorrow.

Think about it.

Drugged up Generation

I have been noticing a new trend that has been gaining momentum. It seems every other kid I meet is on some type of drug to aid them with attention.This is a major concern of mine that doctors are pushing to put children on drugs even as early as five.

I watched a news item on Global television and there was a mom of four with all her children on drugs. I am wondering when does a parent ask him or herself what's wrong with this picture? In the very near future we are going to have a generation of zombies with all the side effects from these drugs.

The problem is no one wants to be bothered anymore with taking time out to let children just be children. No it takes too much work. They would rather have kids on drugs and screens. It makes life easier and the doctors get richer.

Who is going to clean up the mess that will be left behind from this 'Drugged up Generation'? We are in problems as a country and it is not until a few years when the present generation gets older that we will realise it.

Let's talk about this and not sweep it under the carpet. Share your views as I would love to hear them.

Generation in Crisis

 I am quite concerned about our preasent generation but more so the parents raising them. It becomes more and more blatant as we move further into the 21st century that parents themself need parenting. Let me share with you two incidents I experienced all in one week. I tutor with an agency twice per week after school. One of my parent's student suggested she wanted another tutor for her child. She told me not because I had done anything wrong in fact her daughter has done very well under my instruction,however her daughter finds me too strict. Now I have no problem with this.But are parents giving in to their children too easily. I am strict because this student wants to put her feet up on the desk,chew gum and do as she pleases. I will not allow it. Here is an 11 year old who can neither read or write properly but moms interested in her having her own way.

My next experience was at the small private school that I teach. I took the students to gym on Friday and had to speak to a particular student on the way to gym. At gym this same student continued to trip other students and clown around,so I told him to sit out gym for ten minutes and when he got back he was going to the principal.When we got back to the school this same student saw his mom outside and ran to her in tears, he had none when he was being repremanded at gym. His mom ran up to me screaming why did I have her son sit out gym for tripping on his lace. I quietly told her to follow me to the principal's office where it will be discussed further.

We all went to the principal and the principal also asked a few students what happened. The student in question at first said he couldn't remember,when the principal got firm he then said he was scared so he lied. I saw the mother's face change colour but she never apologised.
What sort of generation are we growing? A generation that is not being allowed to take resposibility for their actions. A generation where parents seem too afarid to stand up to their children and tell them when they are wrong.
How then will this generation take over leadership roles?

I would further like to hear others comment on this especially parents and teachers.

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The Children’s Book Bank
By virtue of my work with Today’s Parent, and my own mail order children’s book company Neverending Stories, I get LOTS of review copy books in the door every day … sometimes overwhelming! I’ve donated these books to school and local libraries who are grateful, but at the same time also overwhelmed somewhat as they have

Our Children in Crisis

 I visited with a friend of mine on the weekend,she was very heart broken. She had just found out that her 14 year old son has been smoking weeds. This was given to him by a so called friend which in her words ,she thought came from a well respectable family. The shocker of it all was when she contacted the mother of the boy,hoping to get some support as to how to get both youngsters back on track; the mother was quite nonchalent.

She said that everyone at some point everyone experiments. Shocking isn;t it? Now when did we get here? What might  these two boys be engaged in rather than finding all this time on their hands. My friend's son has all the latest gadgets and vedio games. I asked if this money might not have been well spent on books and educational materials. All these gadgets open our children to a ruthless world as everyone want to experiment with what is seen on television and vedios.

We are fighting a serious battle with literacy in our children and we are slowly losing. Many parents seem oblivious and live in the now.Who is to lead us in the next few years?

Think about it. I would love to hear from you.

Summer Readers

 Summer has come and gone. I wonder how many of our children picked up a good book during the summer. Reading more and more is becoming a thing of the past.As educators,parents and adults we should try and bring back the wonderful days of reading.

How many of you as adults remember reading your favourite book or novel during the summer. I can recall many long and lazy days of summer curled up with a great book. Continuous reading during  the summer never hurt either as you went back to school with a wealth of vocabulary and a sharp mind.

Summer may have come and gone but reading remains and will always be here. Let's keep our kid's mind alert with continued reading.