What Are Our Children Learning - And I don't mean Scholastically.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

I had a discussion recently with a friend. The subject matter was "Why is OK for adults to be so rude and mean to each other? While adults stress constantly (everywhere) that children must be kind and respectful of everyone?"

I thought perhaps she could give me some insight into this because she often quotes some of the jokes and things she hears late night comedians talk on TV about regarding people in the news.

Everywhere on the internet stories are here and there about people shooting and going berserk with each other. Sometimes it's made into a joke. Sometimes people show looks of surprise as in "how could he/she be so thoughtless"?

I just think we are all doing yet another stupid thing adults do. What's that?

Well, we say, "Do as I say. Not as I do". Children are pretty smart. Think about it.

From the time they are born, they learn by observation much, much more than by words. When a child is learning to eat, talk, walk, etc. Your words mean nothing to them. It's by your actions that they learn to copy and do these things. Talking comes from the phonetically forming the words they hear another person speak.

I remember we used to see adds on TV about teaching children not to smoke. Remember, they'd have the child irritating the parent smoking. The parent would say, "How'd you learn to do that?" The child would say, "I learned that from you".

Just food for thought (as they say). I told you here before both sides of my brain work against each other as I'm probably just as guilty as others of mixing up my daughters.

The good thing is my grandchildren seem to have THEIR heads on straight......and ....thanks to my daughters' trusting me with them....I have a second chance of trying to do right.

We all have second chances in some way.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

I'm still waiting for your book of common sense wisdom @Annabellethecat66. I want to be first in line to buy it and have it autographed before it goes on the NY TImes bestseller list.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

@Laura14 Well I don't know your age but mine is 71. I'm far too lazy to sit for very long and put down ANY words of wisdom. Also at my age, I would rather go dancing (still trying to find those ****** go go boots!)

It's easy to bla bla when one can sit at a computer and type/delete/type and so on and then click .....POST.

It's another thing to be able to speak words of wisdom.

But thanks for the accolades, I appreciate it.

ps Right about now is when my oldest daughter would be spitting out her drink (as she did when my granddaughter said to her, "Mom! Grandma is so nice to everyone". Ha!

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

Yes, children learn what they live. Little eyes are watching you all the time for hints on how to handle situations. So it's like: Be a good example.

Now that everyone carries a phone and everyone has cameras...........little eyes are watching you. Again, be a good example, you never know who is watching you!!

scatcat · ‎03-15-2010

I agree. And the government is the worst. Nobody gets along. Every tv ad is bashing their opponent

We teach our kids to budget, to not over spend. But the government is trillions in debt

Elri · ‎06-24-2016

Your grandchildren are lucky little ones to have you in their lives. I fear for the kids who are given an iPad, phone and ccomputer instead of a lot of human interaction.

I saw a show on PBS where parents sent their internet-addicted teens to internet bootcamp. It was frightening.

QVCkitty1 · ‎05-23-2015

Sometimes children learn the right way because they don't like the way their parents are behaving. It's still learning by watching though.

" You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

wrote:
@Laura14 Well I don't know your age but mine is 71. I'm far too lazy to sit for very long and put down ANY words of wisdom. Also at my age, I would rather go dancing (still trying to find those ****** go go boots!)

It's easy to bla bla when one can sit at a computer and type/delete/type and so on and then click .....POST.

It's another thing to be able to speak words of wisdom.

But thanks for the accolades, I appreciate it.

ps Right about now is when my oldest daughter would be spitting out her drink (as she did when my granddaughter said to her, "Mom! Grandma is so nice to everyone". Ha!

@Annabellethecat66 Your posts are wisdom and I look forward to them every day. I'll take what I can get.

And keep that granddaughter! She's right. Even when you disagree with someone you tell it like it is in a tough but kind way with no apologies. I love it!

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

wrote:
Your grandchildren are lucky little ones to have you in their lives. I fear for the kids who are given an iPad, phone and ccomputer instead of a lot of human interaction.

I saw a show on PBS where parents sent their internet-addicted teens to internet bootcamp. It was frightening.

OMG @Elri AMEN!!

I went to dinner with my 12 year old niece and 13 year old nephew recently. I didn't get a hello, nor one word of conversation. Their heads were either on the tablets they have at the restaurants now or in their phones. I don't have kids but I'd like to think their phones would be in my purse when we went out to dinner with family so they could interact with the people they love with good old fashioned speaking and listening. It's just common courtesy.

Marp · ‎03-09-2010

wrote:
Yes, children learn what they live. Little eyes are watching you all the time for hints on how to handle situations. So it's like: Be a good example.

Now that everyone carries a phone and everyone has cameras...........little eyes are watching you. Again, be a good example, you never know who is watching you!!

You forgot the part about little ears being sponges soaking up everything they hear.

The eyes through which you see others may be the same as how they see you.