RUDE little snowflakes . . .

[Deb in IA]

DD, 19, was helping with Vacation Bible School at our church last week. VBS is open to anyone, and they don't have to be a member of our church.

"Abby", age 6, shows up on the very last day. She has not come to any of the other days.

On the last day, the parents/families are invited to join the children in the Final Feast/Eucharist (this is an Episcopal church).

Abby sees her grandmother in the church, and calls out, "Grandma! GRANDMA!", but grandma doesn't see her.

So Abby frowns and spits out, "IDIOT!"

DD is shocked, and says, "What did you just say? Did you just call your grandmother an idiot? That is NOT acceptable!"



Unbelievable. A 6 year old calling her grandmother an "idiot".

What is this world coming to?

 

[Magpie]

I'm sure she's just modeling what she's seen at home!

Such as mum calling and calling to dad across the yard and then giving up, throwing up her hands and commenting, "Idiot!" Possibly because he's just done something she was trying to warn him not to do - but a child wouldn't understand the context.

Kids are mimics. And since she wasn't demanding special treatment, I'm not sure I'd consider this "snowflake" behaviour. Just rude.

I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and blame it on ignorance, and possibly bad role modeling. Your daughter did right by calling her on it, and it would have helped if you'd backed her up by saying, "That's right, we shouldn't call people names, especially not when they're people we love. What if your grannie had heard you call her that?"

 

[Carly_Roach]

DD, 19, was helping with Vacation Bible School at our church last week. VBS is open to anyone, and they don't have to be a member of our church.

"Abby", age 6, shows up on the very last day. She has not come to any of the other days.

On the last day, the parents/families are invited to join the children in the Final Feast/Eucharist (this is an Episcopal church).

Abby sees her grandmother in the church, and calls out, "Grandma! GRANDMA!", but grandma doesn't see her.

So Abby frowns and spits out, "IDIOT!"

DD is shocked, and says, "What did you just say? Did you just call your grandmother an idiot? That is NOT acceptable!"

Unbelievable. A 6 year old calling her grandmother an "idiot".

What is this world coming to?

Monkey see, monkey do. The child learned it from somewhere.

 

[Hannathy]

She was 6 not 2! A 6 yr old is old enough to know you don't speak to adults like that.

I would guess she is a "precious little snowflake"

 

[Carly_Roach]

She was 6 not 2! A 6 yr old is old enough to know you don't speak to adults like that.

I would guess she is a "precious little snowflake"

The 6 y/o has to be taught that you don't speak to adults like that. If the adults in her life aren't teaching her that, and she hasn't been to school yet to learn it, then she's not a snowflake: she's a mirror.

 

[pigletgirl]

Unfortunately most kids act that way in this day and age. Too much sugar and TV.

 

[WDSearcher]

The 6 y/o has to be taught that you don't speak to adults like that. If the adults in her life aren't teaching her that, and she hasn't been to school yet to learn it, then she's not a snowflake: she's a mirror.

Totally agree. She's not a "precious snowflake" -- she's a 6YO who is likely following the behavior she sees at home. She's not "entitled" (which is what I thought "precious snowflakes" were). She's simply undisciplined.

 

[WDSearcher]

Unfortunately most kids act that way in this day and age. Too much sugar and TV.

"Most" kids? Really? I don't think that's true at all. I think that we only HEAR ABOUT the rude kids. We don't hear about the thousands of others who aren't.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Unfortunately most kids act that way in this day and age. Too much sugar and TV.

You can't blame sugar and tv, the parents are responsible for what their children do. And children don't have to act that way if they have responsible parents.

Suzanne

 

[Holly]

Any child who goes to school learns that type of behavior.


I think it's unfair to automatically blame bad parenting. I'm sure if the parents were there they would have been mortified.

 

[clutter]

Unfortunately most kids act that way in this day and age. Too much sugar and TV.

I know lots of 6 year olds and former 6 year olds, and I can't think of one that would act that way.

 

[pigletgirl]

Any child who goes to school learns that type of behavior.


I think it's unfair to automatically blame bad parenting. I'm sure if the parents were there they would have been mortified.

I agree 100%....

 

[Missy1961]

Any child who goes to school learns that type of behavior.


I think it's unfair to automatically blame bad parenting. I'm sure if the parents were there they would have been mortified.

That's funny, the kids that I know who go to school don't do that. Between the things their parents taught them, the things their parents do, and the things they have been taught in school, they would never call their grandma an idiot.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Any child who goes to school learns that type of behavior.


I think it's unfair to automatically blame bad parenting. I'm sure if the parents were there they would have been mortified.

That very well may be true, but if parents don't do anything about correcting that behavior, then it will continue.

The way we behave starts in the home.

Suzanne

 

[pigletgirl]

That's funny, the kids that I know who go to school don't do that. Between the things their parents taught them, the things their parents do, and the things they have been taught in school, they would never call their grandma an idiot.

Uh yes, they still could. Just because you have 'ideal' parenting at home doesn't guarantee a perfectly behaved child. I would be almost disturbed if a child acted that way all the time.

That very well may be true, but if parents don't do anything about correcting that behavior, then it will continue.

The way we behave starts in the home.

Suzanne

True however kids are kids. Even the most perfectly behaved child will act out.

 

[Missy1961]

Uh yes, they still could. Just because you have 'ideal' parenting at home doesn't guarantee a perfectly behaved child. I would be almost disturbed if a child acted that way all the time.


True however kids are kids. Even the most perfectly behaved child will act out.

In no way did I say they were perfect. I said they would never call their grandma an idiot. Notice I didn't say they wouldn't call each other an idiot, or their friends, etc.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Uh yes, they still could. Just because you have 'ideal' parenting at home doesn't guarantee a perfectly behaved child. I would be almost disturbed if a child acted that way all the time.


True however kids are kids. Even the most perfectly behaved child will act out.

Yes, you can have perfectly behaved children all the time, it is possible. And I don't know why that is so disturbing, it should be the norm, but doesn't seem to be these days and to me that is unacceptable. And I don't mean those scary stepford wife like kids that just sit with their hands folded and never speak unless spoken to, but children can most certainly behave perfectly.

No, not all children act out, believe it or not.

Suzanne

 

[Holly]

Yes, you can have perfectly behaved children all the time, it is possible. And I don't know why that is so disturbing, it should be the norm, but doesn't seem to be these days and to me that is unacceptable. And I don't mean those scary stepford wife like kids that just sit with their hands folded and never speak unless spoken to, but children can most certainly behave perfectly.

No, not all children act out, believe it or not.

Suzanne

Really?


How many do you have? Are they perfectly behaved all the time?


Children are impulsive. They act out. It's normal.

Kids have to misbehave in order to have their behavior corrected. I'm sure that that the parents didn't think so say "oh, and never call grandma an idiot". The correction sometimes comes after they do something.

 

[Magpie]

Yes, you can have perfectly behaved children all the time, it is possible. And I don't know why that is so disturbing, it should be the norm, but doesn't seem to be these days and to me that is unacceptable. And I don't mean those scary stepford wife like kids that just sit with their hands folded and never speak unless spoken to, but children can most certainly behave perfectly.

No, not all children act out, believe it or not.

Suzanne

Oi, really?

You mean children who never pat their brother's hair RIGHT after he's asked them not to, just because they know it will annoy? You mean children who never try to lie when you ask them if they've flossed their teeth even ONCE in the past week? You mean kids who aren't ever foolish enough to say to their father's face, "That's stupid!" (And then get their heads bit right off, lol!)

Do you mean kids who wouldn't think it's cool to climb out a window, just because it's on the ground level? Kids who wouldn't say, "I don't have any homework!" when they really mean, "Well... it's not due tomorrow."

How about a toddler running away in a department store? A preschooler trying to steal a cookie, even though he knows it's wrong? What about a 6yo crossing the road alone, when he's been explicitly told he's not allowed? Or a 10yo reading a book under the covers after lights out? Are these all bad kids with negligent parents?

I consider my children very well behaved children. They're generally honest, kind to smaller children, and responsible. They're what everyone calls "nice kids". But they're a long was from being "perfectly well behaved"!

And you know what? I'm glad they're not perfect. I don't know how they'd ever learn to be complete people, if they were never allowed to make mistakes and reap the consequences.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Yes, you can have perfectly behaved children all the time, it is possible. And I don't know why that is so disturbing, it should be the norm, but doesn't seem to be these days and to me that is unacceptable. And I don't mean those scary stepford wife like kids that just sit with their hands folded and never speak unless spoken to, but children can most certainly behave perfectly.

No, not all children act out, believe it or not.

Suzanne

Perfectly behaved children? I believe that might be a contradiction of terms.

How old are your children?