The Tween Scene

I once read an article about young teenagers talking back to their parents and being disrespectful to adults. It really made me stop and think about how it must feel to be a parent going through this situation. The article depicted a mother and daughter scenario where out of nowhere the teenager snaps and yells at the mother for no apparent reason. The article went on to describe a situation where a nine-year-old talked back to the parent after being asked to clean her room. Are these typical situations in a modern-day American home? It is sad that society has gone from one of utmost respect and gratitude towards parents and guardians, to one of hurtful depreciation and lack of communication.

We've all been there; snapping back to our mother or father because "they just don't understand." It seems that our generation of teens and "tweens" are becoming more and more comfortable in the way they speak to adults. The snapping back to a mother or father is starting at an earlier age, and the parents are becoming more and more tolerant of it. You can see from these scenarios that it is painful for a parent to hear those things when it is coming from a child that they have raised to be respectful.

In contemporary society, parents often give in when their kids disrespect them simply to avoid conflict. In reality, without discipline, nothing can be accomplished in a household, and the child will continue to be disrespectful. I believe the parents themselves are to blame. How else can a child learn the difference between respectful and disrespectful behavior? Growing up, one of my best friends struggled with this issue. She would tell her mother to "shut up" at the age of nine. Her mother would walk out of the room and allow her time to calm down until she could bring up the subject again. This tactic backfired, and my friend never fully learned how to show her mother respect.

Although it may be cliche to say, I do feel that the internet and instant connection to the outside world has something to do with this growing problem. Statistics show that kids are spending less time with their families and more time on their ipods, laptops, and video games. We are all guilty of it, and it is something that will only progress as time goes on. Sadly, society has made it acceptable for children to disrespect their parents even if it is a small comment or expression.  Children seem to feel that they are maturing faster than they are. When parents begin to show more authority, hopefully American culture will turn itself back around to a time when adults were always shown respect.