03 February 2009

Why you see so many rotten kids

Because they are undisciplined. But who wants to live with rotten kids? Why don't their parents discipline them? Because disciplining stinks. It is much easier to just clean up the mess yourself than it is to force the whining, lazy 4-year-old who made it to clean it. Disciplining is not just unenjoyable, but ungratifying. You don't see your kids improving, because they are growing and changing constantly. For all you know, all those battles of the will over whose job it was to put on socks were totally wasted; she'd have grown into putting on her own socks eventually anyway.

Furthermore, no matter how many times you tell them to chew with their mouths closed and say thank you, they're still going to horrify you with new heights of rudeness when you take them to see Great Grandma. So why bother?

Every day here feels like a bad day. Someone is always stuck in a cycle of bad moves. Someone always gets yelled at. Someone always ends up crying and neglected while I'm dealing with someone else. I've only got one fuse, and it only takes one kid to burn it down for all the rest of them.

You see so many rotten kids because all kids have rotten parents.

14 comments:

Reb. Mary said...

Are you just trying to make me feel better? ;)

Untamed Shrew said...

Think of my 3-year-old who is very loud, talks constantly during church about EVERYthing that enters her brain with zero editing. "Daddy's a boy! Not duduh hair of a chinchinchin! Look! A duck! I found it! quack quack! Mmmmm-- M&M's! Chocolate's good. Red (crunch crunch)...yellow (crunch)...brown!" If her mouth is quiet, she's either stomping her church shoes or taking her clothes off or throwing toys and books. Last Sunday during the children's message she marched up to the lecturn and started babbling. So think of her...

...and count your blessings. Good thing she's pretty.

Karin said...

uh yeah.....feel free to call when you are having a moment....this happens here too. :o( I feel your pain.

Melrose said...

Joy, I love you!

I have a three year old son that I nearly killed in walmart today. A stock lady saw my short temper and looked at my son sympathetically. Ever been embarassed and seething at the same time? Why does it seem that no amount of discipline makes a lick of difference when you enter the public realm???

Reb. Mary said...

Joy: M&Ms in church? Can I come sit by you? I promise to be quiet...

Anonymous said...

I have perfect children that never disobey or run around like hooligans w/ the manners of a monkey. I simply don't understand this rotten kids thing you speak of.

Esther said...

We've all been there. Literally. We've been the noisy, needy kids. Sometimes I think it's important to stop what I'm doing, sit down, and cuddle the needy one. They are only little once.
As for church, 3 year olds are 3 year olds. My Zach has no concept of whispering either. But what is important is that he is there, in church. The other things pass.

Monique said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lauriinnc said...

Church story: 3 year old has to go potty so exits the pew, pulls his pants to his ankles...mooning his dad/the pastor, and causing no one around to pay attention to Jesus and Hid Word any longer. oh well.

At least I can giggle about that. It is the teenagers giggling though the service that makes me want to explode..oh, what I mean is..when MY teenagers can't sit still and act right.

All of you are right. This parenting thing is super hard...and there doesn't even seem to be one right way to do it. The only sure thing is the Word of the Lord does not return empty SO we teach them the Word of the Lord. We bring them (and ourselves) to the Altar of forgiveness as often as possible because we are all just muddling through this veil of tears, trying our best and still failing...hoping those around us don't judge us too harshly for not having perfect kids...and not being perfect parents.

Untamed Shrew said...

You can all have M&Ms if you tell me what to do with this kid! I try anything (including candy) to keep her quiet and nothing works. If I put my hand over her mouth, she talks louder. If I get angry, she cries. And that's more disruptive than the talking.

Too bad there's that lame law about strait-jackets and duct tape.

Dawn said...

I think the babies are careful with their badness, storing up the raw tidbits especially for church. God love 'em. It certainly has very little to do with me. ;)

Monique: Yes, we go through that. These people regularly manage simultaneous week-long meltdowns. I don't know how or why, but it's such fun, why stop? :D

ζωὴν περισσὸν said...

Hey gals, I love you all, you have made my day.

I do find that I must regularly remind myself.... for cryin' out loud, I am ONLY ONE PERSON. And they are EIGHT!

At least I haven't yet had one drop the drawers, but I did have two cases of a 2yo who left the house with no underwear/diaper on. The boy wasn't such a problem, as he had pants on, but the girl... we-ell, I made the realization about the same time the folks sitting behind us did, when we all stood up, and she was rolling back and forth on the pew with her legs up in the air.

Blush.

Lauriinnc said...

Pam! LOL You reminded e of a time when dd#2 did that very thing..but we were at a parishioner's home for a party. DD was wearing some sort of overalls that were completely unsnapped in the leg area..and she was lying on the driveway legs in the air, singing. The woman laughed..her teenaged son, however, was completely mortified. LOL oh boy. Church though..that would be something.

Another time, a parishioner asked me if I had any extra undies with me as her little dear daughter had come to church like yours did. :) Kids. Always full of surprises!

ζωὴν περισσὸν said...

And this, Lauri, is just one of the reasons I always carry with me extras, you just never know when they'll come in handy.

But then, that's why my purse/diaper bag (that was made to hold my laptop), while it looks more like a piece of luggage than a purse, comes with me everywhere.

But you know what? It was expensive (bought it at Best Buy for $80 I think) but it is gorgeous, so I don't mind carrying it with me, and I have had more compliments/comments than I ever would have imagined.

Huh, I didn't know people said, "Love your bag." the way they would compliment a haircut or clothes.

So in addition to these nice perks that make me happy, I also have my mini-everything at hand should the need arise. :)