Tuesday, September 18, 2007

kids really are slower growing up now

This morning, a colleague came in gushing about putting her daughter on the bus for the first day of JK. She put her on the bus, followed the bus to the school, and watched her getting off of the bus. (Yes, I thought I was hearing things too.) This craziness was proven by a show and tell of pics of the event.

When I asked why her daughter was starting school so late (in the year), she told me that kids are now eased into school. The first day, they go for an hour. By the second week, they stay a few hours. This must be the third week and now they are finally ready for a full day. What??!!!

When I went to school back in the dark ages, we just went. I was deposited at school and may or may not have been told to have a good day. There were no pictures. There was no following the bus. There were no tears. There were no notes in my lunch.

Coincidentally, an hour later, I stumbled across an article that cites a study suggesting that kids are taking longer to grow up. Is it any wonder? All of this hand holding and coddling is a little much.

Don't get me started on the sense of entitlement that kids seem to have these days. This post could be never ending.

SunnyShine


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I remember going with my mom to drop my brother off at his first day of preschool. I'm not sure exactly why I was there and not in school already, but whatever. He was 2 or 3, so I was 7 or 8. He screamed when we left him. The teacher told my mom later that he stopped just about as soon as we left the room.

Being scared on your first day is part of growing up. I hate to think about these kids at age 30, texting mom before they go give a big presentation at work.

The CDM said...

Don't get you started???? My head is about to explode! I totally agree with the coddling. I have never seen such an influx and amazing increase in mediocrity in the lives of kids these days. Sad part is, this is my generarion doing this. Damn Gen X r's, it just makes us all look bad.

complain away said...

Jon--One of my friends who's a professor told me he once had a student who fits your scenario. Since the class was a big one, the students wrote their exams in a stadium. His mother would sit at the back and watch him write. As soon as he was finished, she'd meet up with him armed with a tin of cookies.

This kid was 18 or 19 years old! I have no words.

RainyBow