Why retire early? You're too young!

I had a friend ask, "Why retire early?" My answer is complicated. 

So much has changed since the school systems had the brilliant idea of shutting down during COVID. There are older students who have full on tantrums and throw desks while the rest of the 20+ students need to evacuate the classroom. How is that fair? 

What about the students believing tic-toc is real and stage recordings to cuss-out or hit a teacher? And believe it or not, parents will say, "Not my child." The same parents fall silent when the video tape reveals their child in action. Parents are shocked and I believe they really are shocked. I don't, for one second, think a parent condones or teaches that behavior - parents are fighting social media too. 

And talking about parenting, parents, stop being their friend. They have friends - their own age. A parent is a guide, a coach - the role model their children will follow. A parent is all these things and that's what differentiates them from the 'friend' category. If the definition between coach and friend is not clear - how can a parent be surprised when the child follows their friend's behavior? The parent role was never defined. Instead, be the leader of the family, be the conscious in their mind when they make decisions, praise them when they choose well and have a 'conversation' when they don't. Parents don't need to hit children - if the child respects a parent - the disappointment alone is consequence enough. 

Maslow teaches that the basic of all human need is 'belonging' and that a person will forego nutrition and personal safety to just belong to something. We are seeing that play out in our society. Students no longer think independently or learn through temporary set backs.

The saddest part of all is the group of kids who just want to learn and have a safe environment. I have them too. I won't lie, when discipline (and all the documentation) takes up so much time in the day - it's hard to get to the students wanting a safe education - I am not a magician. It's happening in every school. When teachers have to go to social media to get parents attention - listen. 

Some parents say, "if that was me, my parent would have ..." Well think about that statement for a minute. Think back, as an adult and not your parent's child, what is the difference in the family dynamics? What needs to happen to reconstruct, as best they can, their present family? Parents might need to add or get rid of some family behaviors/beliefs. Will it be hard - yes. Your parents didn't get the instructional manual either - they learned from their parents. Some serious reflection needs to happen. 

It's time for the younger generation of teachers to take over because my idea of natural consequences no longer applies to the current state of the education system - they say it does - but actions are proving otherwise. 

Seriously, the student thew a desk and then walks back in with a lollipop? That child just learned they can lose complete composure, harm others, and be rewarded - plain and simple.