Child-Centered World

Have you ever taken time to think about how different things are now than how they were growing up?  Let me give you an example, and you can see if it sounds familiar.  Please share your examples too.

When I was little and my family had parties, I would get to join in for awhile, and then I would have to go to bed.  I can remember lying up in my grandmother's bed listening to all the fun and watching for anyone to walk by.  The next bunch of kids in my family started 5 years after I was born.  When they were young, I resented that they never had to go to bed.  I was always sent down to play with them downstairs after awhile so the adults could play games.  Of course I loved them very much, but I always wanted to get to stay and play games with the adults.  Finally the last bunch of kids in my family came along.  There are about 15 years in between my cousin and I.  When her and her brother came along, not only did they not have to go to bed, but they did not even have to leave the adults alone to play.  Actually quite a bit of attention was paid to making sure they were having fun, had something to do, and were included in everything. 

Does any of this sound familiar? 

I think our world has shifted to a different way of raising children.  I'm not sure it is all good.  As a teacher, I noticed that every year children seemed to get more and more talkative and less and less respectful of adults.  We need to treat children with love and respect, but we also need to teach them love and respect.  There is no harm is teaching children that adults need to have their time to.  Your children will not be damaged if you do not spend every waking minute with them.  They need to learn how to entertain themselves some of the time.  You need to listen to your children, but they should also learn how to wait their turn in a conversation so as not to interrupt. 

Please share your thoughts and stories on this matter.  I really think our society could benefit from a change in how we raise our children.