Parents, Do You Have A Sarcastic Child? Join The Club

I was reading through my Facebook friends’ comments, and came across something that is so typical with today’s kids! The problem is sarcasm toward their parents.

Whatever happened to respect?

Now I know kids make sarcastic statements to each other or to their friends about their parents; and they laugh. Everyone can relate. Since every set of parents and children have a generation gap, it’s only natural to make fun of the other side. It seems to be a human characteristic, albeit, not a very nice one.

Cartoons, commercials, and situation comedies on television want to perpetuate a feeling that adults are stupid or lazy.

The comment I read on Facebook was from one of the games that people play. Someone asks a question about someone else and the answer they write is displayed.

The question in this particular instance was "If ‘mother’ (‘mother’ having her real name stated) got a tattoo today, where and what would it be?"

The answer this 15-year-old-daughter wrote was, "Her forehead, and it would say LOSER . . . just kidding". An answer such as this, for the world-wide audience to read, is totally inappropriate. Maybe I’m just an old-fashioned grandmother, but I don’t think so.

The mother written about is a single mother. I know for a fact she has worked 2-3 jobs to put food on the table for her 3 kids. She caters to them; driving them here and there, to and fro, so they can participate in sports, attend events, see their friends, etc.

Under her continuing financial conditions, she has sacrificed her own wants and needs to please her children; and I’m sure this cruel comment was hurtful.

Are children more spoiled today than they used to be?

Or is it that parents are trying to please them to make up for deficiencies in their lives? Single parents often try to be both parents and perhaps this is the downfall.

Parents can’t be all things at once, or all things to any child. On the other side of the coin, however, children need to start appreciating the things they do have, and the opportunities given them. They need to understand and chip in when the stakes are low.

The fifteen-year-old should know better than to put a public sarcastic remark about her mother on Facebook. This child is an honor student at school, but lazy at home.

And, it may be that the statement was a joke, as the daughter should know her mother is the exact opposite of being a loser. But it remains that the posting was cruel and unnecessary.

I have heard it said, "When in the face of adversity, the truth comes out". Don’t know who said it, but this may be the case.

Lesson here: Parents, cut the sarcasm when your kids are little. Sarcastic behavior is learned and can be nipped in the bud before adulthood. No one likes to be around sarcastic people.