What is going on with kids these days???!!!
By chaygylmommy
@chaygylmommy (2470)
United States
February 26, 2007 6:46pm CST
I am sitting down to dinner with my son (5) and my daughter (almost 3)...we are sitting at the table and I decided to turn on a Harry Potter movie for us to watch while eating. Anyhow, out of the blue, my son says "mommy, elijah and garrett are going to get guns and kill everyone and destroy the school". At first, I did the typical half listening response of "oh yeah?"...then, I was like "WHAT?" He repeated it to me again and I was shocked. Now, I realize this is a Pre-K class of 4 and 5 yr old kids. I realize that there is no way they can actually plan out an attack and carry it out, but I was astounded that a 5 yr old could even come up with the concept of getting guns and killing people and destroying the school! I know one of the boys' moms and, from what i know, she is a very attentive mother. I am not trying to say that it has to be the parent's fault...I am only shocked that a child of 4 or 5 can think this way. I am only 36...30 years ago, I NEVER EVER thought about killing people or destroying my school! We played Cowboy and Indians..ya know? My parents had guns displayed on the wall while I was growing up. I never ONCE thought of touching them! What is happening to our world??? I am not talking about a kid playing "pow pow, I'm going to shoot you"...I think most kids play that game...this is more of a THREAT! I am scared to even send my kids to school anymore! I mean, what if my kid didn't talk to me? I know there are 20 other kids in the class and not one has conveyed this to their parents so my kid talks to me. What happens if he didn't? I called the teacher and told her. I feel like such a jerk telling on 5 yr old boys, but what other choice do I have??? They need to be talked to and their parents need to be informed! I am just so upset that this could be happening in our little school with such small children.
8 people like this
23 responses
@awonderfullife (2893)
• United States
27 Feb 07
Little boys seemed to be obsessed with that sort of thing. I don't allow my children to watch violent TV shows, but all they need to do is get a glimpse of the evening news. The boys in my son's class are into Power Rangers. They try to fight like the Power Rangers, but the teacher put a stop to it!
2 people like this
@smints8985 (1594)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I have noticed this kind of behavior too.. I work in a learning center and I handle the kinder kids so most of them are 6, and there was this really problem child and he was talkingt to another kid (when the light was off and it was their nap time---they never listen)and I heard him say "If you talk aboumy brothers again I am gonna kill your sister" and I was astounded with what I heard, where actually did this 5 yr old kid (he's younger than the rest of the kinder kids) come up with that concept of revenge and killing? That was so shocking and honestly, when I heard him say that I did not know how to react or what to tell him... It is so disappointing to witness these kids growing up like these, it seems like they are not kids anymore, like somebody stole their childhood and innocence from them... Very sad, up until now I still have a hard time disciplining him.. he doesn't listen.
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I really don't know what is going on. I wish I did. I look at children today and they have heard so much about violence and destruction that we never heard of as kids. I'm not talking about the normal shows kids watch or the games they play. I'm talking about the news that is shown and sometimes shown all day and it's all they have to watch. When they hear so much about others doing things they become immune to it. They don't understand that it's not something everyone says or does. They are too young and not versed enough to know that for every bad story there are hundreds of good ones. They hear about it on tv in blurbs, they hear it as they listen to adults, they are surrounded by it. How can they know that it's not the norm? That not everyone thinks about killing others? It's the only thing I can think of for the cause. We constantly warn them about dangers and try to sheild them from them but sometimes I think it makes it worse. That they are just surrounded more with information about the bad things in this world that it dominates their lives. Perhaps we need to stress the good things as well. To let them know that just because some bad things happen good things do too and those happen more often.
I think you did the right thing in calling the teacher. This way they can take a look to see if the kids need a bit of help. Other then that all we can do is hope. We can work with our own children and just hope that other parents do the same.
@chaygylmommy (2470)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I agree with you. I said just that to the teacher when I called her. I am sure they heard things on the news and all. I don't allow my kids to watch the news. Hell, I don't even watch it very often. ;) I just don't like all the evil and, like you said, we only hear about the BAD things and not the good. It's so sad that our kids are raised in this world today. I just know that I never had these thoughts at all thru the years of growing up. I know it's just talk...it's just a game, but I would want to know if this were MY son saying these things. I told the teacher, too, that if she ever hears of my son saying things like this, I want to know.
I think you are right about where these thoughts come from, but I also think that some parents either don't know about earlier thoughts and/or actions or they don't care. It's just sad
1 person likes this
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
27 Feb 07
My goodness, yes, you did the right thing. My first thought is how sad that a preschool child is talking this way to your son. Secondly, I have to wonder if the pre-school boys have heard this from an older child? They might have heard older siblings, or older kids on a bus or something. Somebody has to find out for sure! If it isn't something that they have heard from older siblings, and they did concoct this in their mind, what will they be like by age 13?! What has our world come to?
2 people like this
@chaygylmommy (2470)
• United States
27 Feb 07
Exactly! My thoughts exactly! How did they come up with it in their minds. I just guess, like you said, because of older siblings or older kids or--like others have said--on the news. It's sad that kids are brought up around this stuff. I just am glad my son talks to me and tells me things.
1 person likes this
@nil_secl (33)
• India
27 Feb 07
Your thinking in this regard is totally in line with all serious parents in the world.All we think about what happened to them.In depth thinking may have some solution to this. In fact the thinking process of tendered ages are more similar to the I/O device of the computer.So it is quite evident that, the input they receive, output will come accordingly. They need to be fed with such type of things, which warrant imagination to the positive side.I know it is harder to deliver, but our duty as parent is nowadays changed to that extent that they need protection from their intellect also.
2 people like this
@wendy82 (437)
• United States
27 Feb 07
Yeah I would be saying the same exact thing if my kid came home and said the same thing. Because I would worry about my kid going to school and then not believing in what they say and then it comes out to be the truth. Parents need to stand up for their kids because that is their proud and joy. You did the right thing and telling the teacher because sometimes they do not know what the kids are saying or hearing. But this world is nothing but tragdy because it is not a safe environment because we are having to watch and make sure everyone is okay.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
27 Feb 07
Well it is awful and to be honest it does not surprise me anymore. It is getting worse and the Kids are getting younger. They will either see it on TV or learn from the older ones. You did right in informing the School, as I would have done the same. You just don't know anymore if it is just talk or if there will be action.
@anjalisk2005 (1492)
• India
27 Feb 07
i guess u have to live with this sort of behavoiur of children.this thought is not going to harm their growth process.they are probably hearing and seeing this things aroud them often seeing in movies,cartoons,adds etc and even in stories they say he killed him and she got killed all this effects their imaginations.but it doesn't really effect their manners or discipline.so don't worry.they are growing in a bad world they have to learn the truths of it.
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
I have to agree with you that I would have been concerned over this as well especially with how young they are , it makes you wonder where they come up with their idea's and is kind of scary to think what might be going on in their heads and what about it that they really understand and how dangerous this kind of talk can be .
2 people like this
@mommy2jason922 (529)
• United States
27 Feb 07
i know what you mean. i cant believe how bad kids are becoming now n days. i just pray that my boy (5 months) doesnt follow the wrong path in life. i would have called the teacher also and have her/him give a kids a good talking to along with a conference to the parent(s). i know when i was younger, im 21, we played jumpe rope, hop stoch, and played on the monkey bars. its so sad that kids as young as that are talking like that.
2 people like this
@mayankthebigm (71)
• India
27 Feb 07
Ya man i think u did the right thing
one should take a few things seriously
telling the school was a good move and i hope it might bring some solution
keep ur finger crossed
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
27 Feb 07
I know what you mean. And you were right in telling the teacher about this thing. We don't take this kind of matter lightly. I also encountered numerous incidents where the children are concerned. I once dropped by at a nearby mcdonald. While looking for a space to park, I saw a car blocking the parking spaces. So I honk my car to let the driver know that I'm going to park. Sitting beside the driver is a boy of about 10 years old. What the boy did the next thing almost unnerved me. The boy stepped out of the car, slitted his eyes and gave me a dirty finger. And he said f_ _k you. I was so surprised by his rudeness that I fired back f_ _k you too. One may wonder where are his parents. Are they aware of what their kid is behaving? who knows.
2 people like this
@sanjeev8302 (126)
• India
27 Feb 07
Such attitudes is a common phenomenon of child psychology which calls for attention & comfort to such children. Schools though can provide children with education & convincing talks but actually at the age of 4 - 5 years children, it is the main responsibility of mother alone to make their children think constructively. It is the mother's duty only & not even that of father towards children of 4 - 5 years. So as mother, you should make your child think about good things and world as a beautiful creation of GOD. Telling good stories with positive attitudes & victory at the end helps. All such things changes the child mentality towards goodnes & constructivity.
2 people like this
@theaterjunkie (344)
• United States
28 Feb 07
You absolutely did the right thing. Not only are you thinking of your son's safety, but also the school's safety. As for what kids are doing nowadays, with video games and TV show nowadays depicting violence, kids take that as their influence. .
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
27 Feb 07
personally, i think it is the lack of attention from parents that cause children nowadays to behave like what they are now... in the past, my mum used to stay at home and look after us while my father go out to earn money... so my mum can really monitor what is happening to us... but now, it doesn't happen anymore... the economic pressure force both parents to work and leave their children in daycare or their grandparents to look after... which i think the quality and the outcome of the upbringing will not be the same as the parents... i can't blame them as well because it is the demand of the world now if we want to survive... it also happens to me... i and my hubby have to work everyday and we only met each other at night... that's why we still considering of having children even though we really really want it... we are afraid that we just don't have the time to look after him/her and he/she will grow up to become a bad person...
1 person likes this
@coolcatzz (1587)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
I know it's so sad hearing a child say that. You are right though I never thought of that 30 years ago either. Ok well
35 for me. LOL It's nice that your son talks to you and I hope you always keep that line of communication open. I tell my kids all the time that they can talk to me about anything. So you didn't say what was the teachers reaction??
@chaygylmommy (2470)
• United States
28 Feb 07
The teacher was shocked! She couldn't believe it. I told her I wasn't trying to get anyone in trouble, but I did want her to know becaues I would want to know if it were my kid saying this. She said she would have talks with everyone. Not sure what that means...I haven't been back to school to ask since I have been sick for 2 days now. I hope she at least tells the parents so they can know their kid said this and can talk to them about it.
@retardedrugrat (4791)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
I would have been terribly shocked had any of my kids sat at the dinner table and told me that.
You did absolutely the right thing in informing the teacher. With the way things are going these days, you can never be too careful.
It makes me wonder where the kids even learned such talk though. 5years old is WAY too young to be saying those kind of things - not to mention that they shouldn't be said at all by anyone at any age!
I hope there is a satisfactory conclusion to this.
1 person likes this
@heartmomjules (17)
• United States
27 Feb 07
That's very frightening, but I think it speaks to what kids are seeing at home. Lots of parents let their kids watch tv/movies that are too mature for them and have themes that they are too young to understand. Many children are exposed to the news and discussions about all the crazy stuff that goes on in the world and they're absolutely not ready to process it, although they're very capable of parroting it. These kids were very likely repeating what the've heard, just as we used to play cowboys and indians - except now what kids are hearing is more extreme and more frightening than ever. It's not the 5 year old's fault - the parents need to be educated.
2 people like this
