I can see right now I'm gonna have to expeditiously get back to my fighting weight to straighten my kids out. Every now and again too many words come flying out at me, or a gesture which can be considered taunting or disregarding is made, and I find myself talking me out of doing bodily harm. But I think I should reassess this whole thing and take that charge (grab a pony tail, a neck, clip 'em, etc). The older one got suspended for having way too much mouth and not enough sense to avoid the issue altogether (this time), while the younger one keeps pushing for rights he thinks he's entitled to, and voicing way more opinion than anybody his age should be able to conjure. I feel I've been instrumental in allowing them to think they're "entitled" to anything, because I work so hard to provide and accommodate needs, but I'm up for the task of retraining their thinking. I'm talking kidneys, chins, or whatever gets in the way at the time. Gloves off, back in the day training.
It's ridiculous to me how many bad ass kids there are in the world, and how often people on the outside look and comment on how it makes no sense and ask why they act like that. Well, I'll jump out there and say it's the parents' fault (guilty here too). The ones who pretend it's okay, the ones who talk too much instead of acting, the ones who simply pay no attention, and the absentee ones too. We all teach some kind of lessons with our own attitudes and actions, and sometimes we forget that kids are intuitive, conniving, manipulative, predatorial little weasels who carry our DNA and our nature--only in a world that's progressively worse by the day. They are little versions of you and me, not to be confused with "less capable of abstract thought" or "less likely to take advantage of any given situation" versions of you and me. Oh, they're sharp, and they smell weakness and dissention like blood in shark-infested waters. I can't prove at what age this crap begins, but I know it fluorishes in mine. But like with anything else, I aint getting in it if I don't intend to win--by any means necessary.
So anyway, I needed the rest, and while my electronics-less, television-less, fast food/carry-out-less, leftover-eating, confined, heathenistic, ungrateful, bickering brats are sulking and cleaning anything I can see, I'll be finding reading material and thought-provoking activities for them to do to help their little minds expand in the right directions. My grandfather's words keep playing in my head: Little bastards! Bernie Mac had some words too, but I'll leave that alone.
And a tip for all you who are contemplating reproduction: If you're not up for the challenge of your life, and if you have no intention of claiming responsibility for all the short-comings of your offspring, keep your DNA to yourself and get a pet. I'm just saying....
From the mind of:
Tonya D. Floyd,
Tags:
kids
Posted at: 06:16 PM | Add Comment