Posted on 01/08/2005 3:59:24 PM PST by eccentric
Ya gotta wonder: What are parents for? Do teenagers even need parents? According to the way the laws are following the culture, appently not. Well, except to support the child in the lifestyle he/she wants and to take the blame for every mistake he makes and every problem he has.
Not only has the Supreme Court of the United States declared that young girls have the right to get an abortion, if the state has the audacity to require the parents know of what their daughter has planned, the state must also provide for a judge to declare the parents 'unworthy' of being involved. Why? Because the daughter is afraid to tell them? Oh, come now. Then I suppose we shouldn't be so hard on children who flunk out of school, have a car accident, or assault others.
But wait, did I speak too soon? Some school districts include child abuse warnings with the report cards sent home with students. No one is to blame for bad grades --- solve that, they are doing away with grades. And NO! do NOT get involved with your child's school. College educated and unionized teachers know more about what is good for your child than you do.
California forbids telling parents if their child leaves school for ANY drug or sex related medical treatment. Will this extend to other medical issues? How about legal issues? "My liscense was suspended for the hit and run. My attorney is sending a car for me, because I don't want my parents to know about this...."
Not too far fetched. Are parents notified about their child traffic offences? Not usually. Even if the child is taken to the police station, the police will allow the child to be released into the custody of any other adult if the child doesn't want to call his parents. At least most retail managers will call the parents if they catch a child shop-lifting, don't they? Yes, I remember going to get my "joy and happiness" in the managers office. ( They look so saaad you have to control your laughter. Today he is a preacher. )
And beware! Though you are expected to support the child in the lifestyle he/she desires, do NOT think this gives you the right to invade his privacy. Do NOT eavesdrop on his phone conversations, even though YOU pay the phone bill. DON'T snoop around the bedroom you provide for him. His right to privacy includes using your property to promote any criminal activity.
Of course, if your kid makes a bomb that blows up the neighborhood --- well, it's your fault. You should have known about it. hmmm You couldn't do anything about it, but you should have known --- somehow. After all, if your child was afraid to tell you, it is obviously because you are evil, wicked, mean, abusive, cruel, and uncaring.
Ha. I'd like to see the state try and stop me.
I wish I had kids ....
I consulted my lawyer (due to possible ramifications business wise, for employees) to follow up, turns out it wasn't a biggie.
Either way, my parents knew better then to try and listen in on my conversations or snoop through my room as a kid, they knew me pretty well, they also knew I knew the house inside out better then they did.
'Child rights' laws are dreamed up by the odious adults who were odious selfcentered kids. You know the kind.....they were the covetous snivelers who were always whining...."but that's not fair, he got more than I did!"
Yes, we've been following this. It's a misdemeanor slap on the wrist, no biggie; the issue was the other party had not consented.
One of our legislators has introducted a bill to remove the misdemeanor charge for parents listening in on kids. The information still won't be admissable, but that's not really the point.
To breed new taxpayers. Any other silly questions??
Parents are for children to come home to when they are in trouble. Apparently at any age. We get a Purple Heart Band Aid and do things with learned knowledge the next time around:)
Trust me I would listen to a phone call, search my childrens's room, read a diary and follow them to and from school if I thought there was a problem with one of my 4. Then dare anyone to say what I was doing was wrong!!!!
I am sick of laws that tell me how to parent!
Second that.
Stick to your guns.
I raised 5 in the days when parents were considered intelligent enough to raise their own kids. I was on very good terms with the ER at the local hospital. Today I would be suspected as a child abuser because I had a few accident prone kids(who doesn't?)
OK, now wait a minute.
I have two adult children. I MADE it my business to be involved in every aspect of my children's education. I held an office in the PTO, went on fieldtrips, and pretty much made my presence known. I went head to head with more than a few teachers were only there to collect a paycheck.
My daughter is now a Math teacher in an urban highschool. She can barely get a parent to show up at a conference.
More frustrating that that is the fact that she is a CONSERVATIVE teacher, and knows her MANDATORY union dues goes to liberal causes. That is why she will probably not stay in the profession.
Don't just blame the teachers. There are some good ones out there. Take ownership of your child's education, and you won't be sorry.
I'm with you. Sometimes its unfortunate, but necessary.
Nicely stated, Eccentric.
I'm in with the crowd that my kid is going to have more problems than he's ever imagined if he crosses me. He's 17 now, (HS Senior) so we've gone through some of the drinking, missing curfew, smart mouth, friends that were unacceptable; the usual parade. After his third warning, I kicked him out, and he stayed at Grandma's for a few days. During that time I took everything from his room; stripped it bare. All he had was a bed, enough clothes to make it through one week, and a desk with a lamp to do his homework by. No clock, no radio, no TV, no nothing. This was back in October. He's still earning back his "perks" and started talking to me after a month. He also wrote me a heart-wrenching letter, apologizing for his bad behavior. He got my message loud and clear.
I owe his 180 to the fact that "it is obviously because you are evil, wicked, mean, abusive, cruel, and uncaring."
He asked DH & I to take him to a college campus tour on Tuesday. I'm thinkin' he got the message that it's time to grow up and get with the program. Some kids get it on their own, some need a swift kick in the butt. ;)
You are right and millions of parents stand with you.
I'm with you 1000%. I also have a nephew the same age as my son (14) and when I came down on both of them in one of my "random checks" where they get to empty their pockets for possible contraband, he bitched about his constitutional "rights". I offered him a constitutional "left" and that was the end of that discussion. We're an old-fashioned family and he knows better than to go tell his Mom that Uncle Emmett had to offer to whack him upside the head.
Parenting has turned into an endless nightmare of worry coupled with the threat of legal action against you. Discipline your kid the old fashioned way, you're a child abuser. Try using the new fangled methods, and you're sitting in front of a school board or judge being castigated for not controlling your little bundle from heaven. God forbid you question the curriculum being fed to your child. Of course it's perfectly rational to skip past higher multiplication and division, and plunge into pre Algebra.
Parenting these days is an exercise in futility. Sure, some folks have been able to take their kids and drop out of society before it's too late. For the rest of us, we're dodging trouble every time we turn around.
I can't give my kid frigging Tylenol to take at school, but she can go off and get an ABORTION without my knowing? What's next? Is her guidance counselor going to take her to the local tattoo parlor? Something is very, very wrong with this philosophy.
I know what you mean!! I have a wonderful pediatrician who will tell me frequently I know best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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