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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Traxion" data-source="post: 260739" data-attributes="member: 983">I came from industry into education (high school teacher) and have lots of family in education.  Having graduated 20 years ago, the changes that have occurred are incredible.  The educational world that I grew up in has so drastically changed.  And for those of you who maybe are out of school even longer, you have no idea.  South Carolina Men's BB Coach Frank Martin has a famous quote from a few years ago- "You know what makes me sick to my stomach?  When I hear grown people say that kids have changed.  Kids haven't changed.  Kids don't know anything about anything.  We've changed as adults.  We demand less of kids.  We expect less of kids.  We make their lives easier instead of preparing them for what life is about.  We're the one's that have changed."I agree for the most part with what he said.  Bottom line, it starts with parenting.  Teaching your child to be a good person, first and foremost, is the job of the parent.  Has that gotten more difficult than in the past?  I would say absolutely.  Children face an enormous amount of pressure today compared to yesteryear.  Let's just start with academic standards.   If you think the expectation of what you were expected to know at any grade level compared to now is the same, you are mistaken.  While the basics of ABC's, multiplication tables, etc. are all the same, the expectations are much higher overall.  Kids are expected to know more, right or wrong.  Now let's add in all the other dynamics.  Family structures today are more broken than in the past.  It is incredible to see how many students come from split families or single parents.  And the majority of parents both work.  Now, let's add in the fact that we've got a multitude of things to do.  We play soccer 5 seasons a year from 4 years old on.  We play basketball, traveling teams, from when we learn to do.  Gymnastics 3 hours a day 4 nights a week.  Etc. etc. etc.  We stretch our kids really thin at a young age, then expect them to be perfect at school when they've been going non-stop.  Finally, add in the technology aspect.  These kids have been entertained since before they could talk.  Constant stimulation.  We're just now seeing generations of kids who grew up fully with handheld devices.  None of us have any idea on what effects their brain development has changed due to this.  As parents, we have to recognize the challenges that our kids face and prepare them for it, that is our responsibility.   We need to create good human beings who can excel in school, provide them with a structure, allow them to grow through REASONABLE extra curricular activities, and make sure that they can manage technology efficiently.  Kids are kids, they don't know otherwise and only react to what they see and know.  Parents have to paint the picture for them.  One of the biggest issues I see that ties to this is parents will not allow their children to fail.  Failure is good!  They need to fail early when the consequences are low versus later in life when the consequences and costs are much higher.  That is why giving everyone a ribbon, or not keeping score, or complaining to a principal that your student got detention totally defeats all purpose.  Kids need to understand that and by taking away failure we deprive them of a serious life skill.  When you get them out of every tight spot or jamb or difficult situation, you handicap them forever.  I don't agree with bringing politics or religion into it.  Good human beings are good human beings, regardless of what church they go to or what side of the ballot they check.  Both are very polarizing right now and I see students who walk a line one side or the other just because it's "cool" to wear a MAGA hat or wear the rainbow colors.  Kids are hanging today on the drama of the issue rather than the issue itself, and that is very unfortunate.  I don't care what side you're on, look at the issue, defend your position, but treat the other side with respect and courtesy that a good human would do.  It's easy for most of us to laugh this off, but come into a school in the Dakotas as a Muslim or HIspanic and I think your views might change a bit.  Bottom line is make good human beings.  That is the job of the parents and because that isn't happening, issues listed in the article will only keep increasing.</blockquote>

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