This is really a big word, but it’s the truth that we are all responsible for our actions.
I just read a story about a teacher being arrested for assault when she tried to force a 10 year old student to make an islamic hand gesture. It turns out that the teacher has been teaching islam and praying in front of her class for some time. She is a veteran teacher. Of course, everyone is aghast as to why its not on the local news and why something hasn’t been done about it before.
Let’s be honest and answer a difficult question now – who is responsible for raising your children? As parents, aren’t we? What happens today is we have kids and enjoy them for awhile then hand them over to a day care or school to raise them, period. I’m not slamming day cares or single parents, so don’t even go there. There are plenty of single parents who work two jobs and raise good kids. Those parents hold themselves responsible for their children, their children’s behavior AND for their children’s environment. This is about the parents who don’t accept that responsibility.
One of my kids was having trouble in the second grade with another student and the teacher. After trying to resolve the problem for some time, one morning I walked in to the school office unannounced, signed in as a visitor, then went to my child’s classroom and sat down on the counter. The teacher asked how long I was going to be there. My reply was simple – as long as it takes. The details of what happened next are irrelevent. The long term effect of this action was that the principal, the teacher and other teachers, as well as my children, knew that I would be there for as long as necessary, willing to do whatever it took to see that my child behaved, was disciplined in their studies, and was not mistreated by other students OR their teacher or principals or counsellors.
Surprise your kids. Surprise their teachers. Surprise yourself. Take responsibility. Don’t blame the teacher because you’re not paying attention. The teacher in the above story would have been gone long ago – if someone paid attention – and accepted responsibility. Whether this is reality for you or a metaphor, does it really matter? Take responsibility for your actions!
I’m 1American