205 Days to Go

     It is another work day.  I'm still in bed, trying to look at the clock without disturbing the dogs.  But they know my eyes are open. My younger dog, Trey puts his face in mine and gives me a French kiss.  Then my other dog, Scout jumps onto my stomach.  I try to quietly get out of bed without disturbing my wife but there is a creak in the bed frame which only appears when I quietly try to get out of bed.
     As I open the front door for the boys, I tell Trey, not to bark.  He runs out of the house, barking. Kids just don't listen to their parents anymore. He continues to bark, warning the neighborhood and anyone who might venture anywhere within five miles of our house, that Trey, the sixteen pound Yorkie is the Boss.
     When I was growing up in the fifties and sixties, my parents were the bosses.  My teachers were the bosses and if I was at a friends house, their parents were the bosses.  They told us once or maybe twice what we could and could not do. We might not have liked hearing them lay down the laws but we respected them.  
     Some parents were harsher than other in doling out  punishment to their children.  "Wait until your father comes home," would would make some kids immediately begin to cry.  The kids knew what dad did to them.  Today, the parent's behavior would be labeled child abuse.  Back then, they called it 'discipline.'
     Regardless of the label, when I was growing up there was more discipline.  There was some talking back but not like there is now.  In my neighborhood, we listened and understood that our parents were the Bosses.
     I did some really stupid things when I was growing up.  I won't bore you with the facts because I just can't remember them.  But I know that my father and mother were not pleased. They never hit me but they would do mind games that all parents do.  And it worked on me.
     "I think your allowance needs to be suspended for a while."
     "No TV for you for a week."
     "No, you can't go out and play with any of your friends.  You have to write that report because it is due tomorrow.  What were you thinking?  Did you think you could write a five page report in ten minutes?"
     Respect is something which is learned at home.  On any given day, there are of stories about kids beating up their teachers because the teacher would not allow them to do something they wanted. And those kids keep doing their bad behavior because the schools are afraid of law suits.  And if the kids become too disruptive, they are expelled.  Schools are meant for education, not discipline and respect!
     What do todays children know about  respect or discipline?