tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post111448526731054015..comments2023-10-21T05:31:04.705-05:00Comments on Merle Widmer's PEORIA WATCH: School Daze #2Merle Widmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08788275198834985986noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-1114567115755372942005-04-26T20:58:00.000-05:002005-04-26T20:58:00.000-05:00I can't comment further. You said it all. We kno...I can't comment further. You said it all. We know most of the solutions to the problems. Even the kids from the worst environments must be given the shelter of love and discipline every day they enter the culture of the school grounds. Like many adults, they test the limits of their freedom. Kids are looking for discipline & guidance even if the "guidance & discipline" hurts their self-esteem!!<BR/><BR/>When guidance, discipline and love is lacking at home (which is sad) is no excuse if it's lacking on school property also. Having said these things the teacher must be backed up by all administration.<BR/><BR/>Thanks very much for you comments!Merle Widmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04267875223386924271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-1114528923292020562005-04-26T10:22:00.000-05:002005-04-26T10:22:00.000-05:00WHERE DID ALL THE GROWN UPS GO???Amen, Brother! I...WHERE DID ALL THE GROWN UPS GO???<BR/><BR/>Amen, Brother! I send my kids to a District 150 school and I EXPECT them to get straight A's. (They are in elementary school, and I don't think that one can get by not fully understanding each and every subject. When they reach high school, a B - or whatever their "best" is - in physics or calculus would be acceptable.) If there is a problem, I get in there and help, or find someone who can. <BR/><BR/>My children know that if their teacher called with a discipline problem, their lives would be miserable until their behavior was socially acceptable and respectful. <BR/><BR/>Yet, my kids are happy, joyful creatures. They are not overly stressed or fearful of their parents or authority figures. Their teachers tell me they enjoy having them as students.<BR/><BR/>I think this is because they are being raised with equal parts of love, affection, expectation, and discipline. They are the children, my husband and I are the adults. This gives my children a lot of security. <BR/><BR/>Think about how scary life must be for the children acting up in class. The boy who wandered in and out of the hall, picked up the phone, made it is goal to disturb the class... how insecure and scary his life must be, when at a such young age he is given the freedom to reign and behave as he likes. <BR/><BR/>Remember when you first learned to drive? Remember how powerful you felt? Remember how scary that power felt until you knew what you were doing?<BR/><BR/>Imagine giving a nine year old the keys to the car, and without any instructions, saying, "Here, drive." How terrifying for the kid... and society!<BR/><BR/>I think children act out because they want to know an adult is there to catch them when they fall or make mistakes. They want to know that they are sheltered enough so that they can be kids. <BR/><BR/>The kids disrupting were probably really saying, "Put me in my place. Don't allow me to behave this way. Let me know that you care enough about me to not allow me to be self destructive."<BR/><BR/>A counselor once told me that she was raising her kids in a sheltered environment. The goal being the same as a plant in a greenhouse. By providing a strong shelter the plant develops very strong roots, and it is much more like to survive and thrive outdoors when transplanted.<BR/><BR/>I shelter my young children. I shelter them from media, and television that isn't age appropriate. I shelter them from sexual images, even those in advertising. I shelter them from any negatitive influence possible. So, that when they do go to junior high and are exposed to sex, drugs, or worse they will be SHOCKED and scared. They will know these things are harmful and will want to return to a safe environment.<BR/><BR/>So many kids and teens are numb to negatitive influences, and it is no wonder. They have spent their entire lives witnessing these things in the media - and at home -with no consequences.<BR/><BR/>The real answer, the solution, is for adults to start acting like ADULTS!!! Instead, we have adults behaving as children, trying to be friends with their offspring. They are overindulging kids with materialism instead of love, affection and discipline. Parents actually fear that their kids will no longer love them, when the exact opposite is true.<BR/><BR/>Sigh. WHERE ARE THE GROWN UPS???Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com