Parents. You bother me.

You know what REALLY bothers me?

Parents.

For a few reasons. (I mean there are more then this, but currently, these are my Parent Pet Peeves)

1) Your kid is sick. Keep that child at home. Yes, you do have to use one of YOUR sick days, but guess what? Your child is nearly 3, has no social skills, and hasn't learned to blow their nose, or cover their mouth. They are going to spread their snot germs to, not only all the other children in the centre, but all the staff as well. KEEP. THEM. HOME.

2) Your child (children) is (are) in Daycare 10 to 12 hours a day. Um, why did you have a child (children)? Just wondering, since you know... you never see them. And FYI, they're behaviour is appalling because when you DO see them, you spoil them to make up for the time you SHOULD be, but aren't, spending with them. Congrats for adding to the futures bullies, druggies, spoiled princesses, and teen parents! WOO! Be SO proud!!

3) Yes, your 1 year old is crying when you drop them off, and they've never done that before! ...it's called "separation anxiety" and you looking all worried, and going "Oh it's okay baby it's okay" is NOT going to make it better. Leaving will make it better. Why? Because they DO know you'll be back, they just don't want you to leave. But guess what? 9 times out of 10, within 5 minutes they'll be fine, happy and playing. Sure you get a few kids who scream all day, but in all my years of working with kids, I've only met ONE who was like that for no reason (she was 3 and did it... the others who did it were refugees from camps in other countries who didn't speak english and were being left with strangely coloured people in a strange place - who could really blame them!?)

I'll admit my faith in today's parents, and their "parenting skills" diminishes with each new child I work with. Kids don't do things with their families anymore. They watch TV, or start surfing the internet at 3 (and have their own computer by 6)... they're put in all kinds of organized activities 5 days a week (after school when they should be at home, doing their homework, playing outside with friends, and eating a family meal). Parents work 60 hour work weeks, and live FAR beyond their means - when if they'd cut back on the "stuff" and "activities", they could probably quite happily live on 1 income (or 1.5 if whoever's at home wants a part time job), and then the children could ALWAYS have a parent at home with them.

But that's not how people think anymore. It's all about "Keeping up with the Jones's", or maybe it's better to say "Keeping up with your coworkers"... or "Keeping up with the kids at school". Children are taught from the time they are born that they are only important enough on certain days of the year to get gifts, and that those gifts have to be HUGE and EXPENSIVE and BETTER then ANYTHING ANYONE else could have POSSIBLY gotten on that same day.

And it upsets me, disgusts me and makes me sad.

Shouldn't our children know they're always important? And special? Without being THEE best at everything? Parents over compensate with praise, for the time they're not spending with their children.

I often wonder how many parents actually KNOW their kids anymore? Do you know what your child actually likes? Or does their Child Care provider have to tell you? Are their first steps in a Daycare? Their first words? First solid food? All potty training?

Parents are missing out on the good things, and only seeing the horrid behaviour because they don't know how to deal with their own children... and when the children get older, instead of spending MORE time with them, they buy them things.

I think even sadder is the fact that I've seen proof of the same sorts of things in households where there IS a parent home all day. Parent's have forgotten to put their children first.

Soon every house will have a nanny raising the kids, while the parents do... whatever.

Oh society, I'm losing faith in you by the minute.