School-Agers & Learning to Respect Authority

[springv]

Hey guys,
Those of you that have school agers, have you noticed within the past several years how it seems like they have NO respect for authority whatsoever. We had a child who was 5th grade and the first week was fine and then it all started to go downhill fast. Her FM became very rude and the child had an attitude that wouldn't stop and everytime we would ask her to do something, she would smart back or roll her eyes (pretty much point blank disrespectful). What can we do to teach them to respect us????��

[Leigh]

Hey guys,
Those of you that have school agers, have you noticed within the past several years how it seems like they have NO respect for authority whatsoever. We had a child who was 5th grade and the first week was fine and then it all started to go downhill fast. Her FM became very rude and the child had an attitude that wouldn't stop and everytime we would ask her to do something, she would smart back or roll her eyes (pretty much point blank disrespectful). What can we do to teach them to respect us????��

My son's biological brother was here on Friday. He had to leave early because of bad weather. When I told him to put his shoes on, he slammed down my son's Xbox controller, several times, trying to break it. When I told him again to get his shoes on because it was time to go home, he came flying at me and spat into my face "what the F)#$ do you want?!". When he got picked up, his guardian found his ELEVEN year old butt in the corner. I told her that he has the self-control of a toddler, so I put him in the corner like one. I know that he has behaved this way at home and at school, and has been kicked out of several childcares, but this is the first time in the 8 years that I have known him that I have seen it. It had better be the last time, too. I told him that he is not welcome to come back until he has his attitude under control at home, at school, and ready to behave here, too. Not a big fan of that elementary age group. God bless their teachers at school-I couldn't spend all day with them!

[Josiegirl]

I've always felt teachers were severely underpaid for the job they do. Kids have always been disrespectful but not to the point they are these days. Parents give up their authority and when kids realize that, they assert their control as far as they can. Schools, states, etc., have taken all control away from authority figures and now the kids are getting away with murder(sometimes literally ). I certainly don't believe in whipping with belts or beating kids, but now states even frown on putting kids in corners or TO's?? Come on. I'm sorry but sweet talking and reasoning with a disrespectful child just doesn't work, most of the time. Ignoring their bad behavior? Same thing.
If a person has tried, tried, and tried again, then obviously that doesn't work and it's time to make sure the child knows it's time to change their attitude.

Leigh, kudos to you for showing the courage to do that. Don't we want these kids to grow up good people, with friends and others that care about them? Kids get angry, they get scared, they feel neglected. They act out for a whole variety of reasons. Work with them but please don't let them get away with it.

[Cat Herder]

I have a few of my clients whose kids stayed with me until public school. Their kids did not have behavioral issues until they went to public school. The standards have been lowered so much that all the work these parents have done in raising respectful kids was undone and they find themselves struggling to counteract it during the school years. Several are considering homeschooling.

[Unregistered]

I'm not doing daycare anymore, and was only babysitting here and there but recently quit babysitting for basically sweet kids because of the crazy disrespect the 6 year old developed. I actually posted about this here a couple months back.

It's so weird what happened. He used to be really sweet but changed so much. He was constantly treating his little sister badly as well as my own child (age 3), and even occasionally yelling at my baby(age one!) screaming and invading space and being really rough, losing his sh#@ over little things, causing him to scream and sometimes intentionally break his sister's things, not respecting his sisters space or requests, talking back constantly and even running out of his room naked just for attention or laughs? Just weird stuff!
I dont know what the issue is, his parents seem to discipline him but he has even bit his relative (an adult) who was babysitting recently. I quit because it was so not fun being around him when he'd get into his moods. I know he was also threatened with being removed from an afterschool program too, days I wasnt babysitting, for misbehavior. I have a feeling school is stressful and not helpful for him. I think school isnt a great place for alot of kids honestly.