Whatever happened to teaching children to respect your elders?

Well, I do actually agree with you because I think this generation of children *are* spoilt. Not all of them and not all children disrespect their elders...but when we tell children how 'special' they are and when we buy them new gadgets and phones and games and parties and clothes and music and sport tickets and concert tickets and I could go on and on....I think they are a generation of " I want I want " and that means they feel entitled to be forceful, more direct, less forgiving, more aggressive about what they want. I do think previous generations worked hard for everything they owned, there was less government assistance, more community support, more family support.

Sure I'm generalising but I can see where this question comes from. As a parent I've had trouble trying to get my children to show me respect...and I'm a pretty fair but tough lady, and I honestly don't think its just me. Instead of knowing that family was/is important and should be respected for the things they provide in life, kids think they own the world and they don't.

They hate to be reminded that others share this space, older and wise individuals who should be respected for just being there! If he comes back knocking on the fence, its probably just to get you upset...give him a wave and a big smile and talk about weird stuff and he'll think you're slightly crazy....that does sometimes make them leave you alone :) I would prefer to be thought of as slightly crazy and left alone than put up with trying to instill some respect in him.... my 2 cents.

I also agree that children these days are very disrespectful with the teachers. Just yesterday a student almost got into fight with a teacher just because he scolded him for being late. A student in my friend's class commented that she shouldn't be so strict or no one would marry her and she would die an old virgin.

A parent commented that the teacher confiscated a student's cell phone because she brough it to class, did it because she couldn't afford a cellphone herself. The parents never respect other people too, how can they teach their children to respect their elders? If we punish the children the parents will come rushing to their aids and demand the teachers be fired or something.

Teachers cower before students and parents for fear of getting fired or sued for reprimanding or punishing the students. What kind of society will we become if we don't instill fear in our children's minds? Like it or not fear is the first step to respect their elders and parents.

If the kids and teens have no sense of fear at all then they will run wild.

In one word=Society. People are so disconnected and always running for lawsuits that kids are aware of this also. When I was young if you did something and a neighbor yelled at you for something and sometimes it came with a smack you were scared for them to tell your Parents.

Nowadays Parents come running why did you hit my kid. Where I lived in Brooklyn you knew everyone's kids, parents and grandparents. When a kid was doing something it was I'll tell your dad later up the block and the kid stopped immediately and in that neighborhood still do.

Where I live now it's not my kid, who are you to yell at them. I have actually had arguments with parents here and told them if your kids on my property doing something wrong I'll do what I want. It's not like I beat the kids.

But if your kid is throwing rocks on my lawn and I have to run them over with the lawnmower then yes I'll yell at him to stop. First time ask second time tell. Kids don't think they can get hit so they are not scared and parents stand behind them right or wrong.

Quote: "The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room.

They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers. " Who said this? Socrates.

I think there is a tendency to believe that kids used to be better: more disciplined, more courteous, quieter, more mature, etc. Honestly, though, I think each generation produces terrible kids, and each generation produces respectful, obedient kids. I don't think it's a matter of "the days of yore, when kids were decent!" but rather a matter of individual parenting. Community also plays a role too.

"My husband just shook his head sadly and came in." I'm not saying it's his job to raise this kid, but he didn't give the kid a clear picture of what acceptable conduct was. This kid knew he was misbehaving, but no one gave him what for.

How about a good "listen kid, you don't talk to adults like that! Now, stop harassing that animal and stop damaging property. Go home.

Now!"? We live in a society where we think that kids that aren't ours also aren't our responsibility. We could all do each other a favor by correcting children when we see them misbehaving.

They should learn that any adult can step in, not just their own parent. I realize there are legal considerations, but I'm not saying smack the kid. I'm saying tell the kid to stop swearing at you and get the hell away from your property before you have a cop haul him off.

Kids need to see adults in their community stepping up and asserting the authority we expect kids to respect. This kid carried on his merry way, bothering neighbors and pets, with how many adults looking on? He's 13.

Put some fear into the brat.

It sounds as if you look at the past with rose colored glasses. It's not as if 10, 20, or even 30 years ago, there weren't awful parents who let their children run wild and untamed. Parents not keeping their children in check, I suppose, has to do with more lax and liberal parenting philosophies bring implemented, more single parent homes, and a turning away from corporal punishment on children.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.