[Chester]

I am rather concerned at the way society is heading.

Some things happening now or planned by the government for our schools. This is primary school, the first seven years of schooling. This is all at the expense of the 3 R's that parents send their kids to school to learn.

Daily physical activity at school because kids are too fat.

Sex education.

Breakfast being served because parents aren't feeding their kids.

Children given toothbrushes and toothpaste for use at school because parents are not concerned with dental hygene.

Toilet training, yes some people send their kids to school in nappies, they haven't had time to toilet train them. I mean kids of 5 years old, not 3 year olds.

Drug education

Road safety

Stranger danger

All the above are already in the system, the one below is planned.

Children will learn how to cope with fear, stress and depression from teachers under a plan from the education Minister who says parents are failing them.

How much time is left after these basic things are being taken care of by the school is there for what the kids are meant to be there for?

[tbtrainer]

Chester, I guess my opinion is that in public schools (which is what I'm guessing is what those plans are for), I think it's an okay idea for them to aid the kids that way... if it is proven that they are not being provided for at home...

Although it's very sad that the government would have to step in and do the parents job for them... but if it saves a few children (or many) I guess it's worth it...

They have some of that here in the states, and I do agree it cuts into classroom learning time for the kids that already get some of those basics at home... thats why we send our kids to private schools... I feel lucky to have that option.

[FutureVetGirl]

Urgh... I think that the worst part of a parenting nowadays is that you're no longer allowed to discipline the kid (even if you do the rest to be a good parent), and one smack on the behind is suddenly considered child abuse.

Honestly... the parents are the ones who should be doing all of the above. And you WONDER why so many teenagers are commiting suicide, are in drugs, get pregnant at young ages (14,15,16), are anorexic/bulicic/obese), etc. It's because the parents never took the time to properly educate the kids.

[madvoice]

So many parents these days fail to give children the basic necessities. It really saddens me what society has become

[FutureVetGirl]

I know... so sad. So frustrating.

[Buckshot]

I can be thankful for good parents.... that is really, really sad. Sure, I disagree with them on some things, but overall....not bad.

I guess a parents job, from the view projected in this post, is to provide kids with the things they want, and not educate them about how to take care of themselves and become a responsible adult.

[Jennie'sPassion]

The sad thing is some parents expect the schools to do these things. We have become such a fast paced society that parents don't take the time to do the basic things for their own children. I know that I have had many people ask me at work why I don't date/ how I have time for the things I do but no time for what they consider important. I simply say I make time for my kids. My kids will always be my kids and when they are grown men I don't want them to regret that I was never around or had time for them. I don't want that on my conscience.
Jobs come and go. Men come and go. Our kids are part of us forever. I just wish more parents would take the time to realize that. When our kids are grown you can't go back and fix what is broken. We need to have better priorities.

[sorrell]

Don't forget character education. They are now being required to teach secular 'moralism', or character building, because kids do not understand right from wrong behavior.
I tutor for social services and most of the parents are simply not home. They work two jobs to pay the bills, the husband/father is usually absent and the kids are raised by peers, grandparents and older siblings, and of course the TV set. It is a sad state of affairs.

[classygirl23]

I agree with sorrell...Things are so bad right now that parents one or both have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to try to survive! does that make them a bad parent? So i guess the question you gotta ask is which is worse not working and not having a place for your family to live etc...or working so your family needs are taken care of but also missing out on the gorwing up of the childrens lives!

People who ask why things are the way they are do your parents work 2 or 3 jobs to get by or are you the fortunate ones who have a wealthy family that makes good money so they are able to be around to do the simple things that often are missed by the familys who work 3 jobs to get by?

I couldn't ask for a better family and parents and i belive they did the best they could to raise me and provide for me! they weren't rich but they worked hard to make life nice! I sitll always admired my friends and school mates who families were well off!

My parents made sure they were around for all my school activities and sports and college as well! But I also know a lot of friends and school mates who's parents worked 24-7 to survive and they tended to have a harder time with life!

[FutureVetGirl]

My parents work a TON. Yet... somehow... they always managed to find at least a little bit of time for us.

Honestly... I think that a lot of parents who work 2 or 3 jobs just so they could get through life, they're too afraid to ask for one day off from one job, just so they could take their kids out to Grandma and Grandpa's for a day. Not all bosses are slave drivers, and most would be willing to let them have ONE day off... especially if they work as hard as they do.

And there's a difference between NEEDING to work... and not having time, and needing to work, and not having time. Sure... they wound the same. But one, the first one, the parents have a ton of bills to pay, even some debts to pay off, and they have to work just so that they can put food on the table. But with those families, generally, they have no other choice, but they still at least attempt to find time for their family. As for the other, they "need" to work 2 or 3 jobs. But usually with this mold, they work so many jobs for two reasons: 1. they're workaholics, and if they just looked, they COULD find a job with half the working hours, with the same pay, a job that they'd enjoy. But since they feel the need to work so much, they find themselves 'stuck' in a job where they have to work a ton, and they get a small wage, or 2. they're afraid to come home. Either to screaming kids or they have a spouse or neighbor that beats them. And so they dont' WANT to find time, and their jobs rule their life... and then they complain about their job, and how they never have time. Makes very little sense to me.

So yeah... two molds for the "hard workers".