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I haven't had time to read all the replies, but I will say, I attended a well-known private school in the area.
We were told specifically, when we are wearing our uniforms or a school shirt, etc we are representing our school and are expected to behave in a way that sets an example for our school You put that sticker on your car and you are representing the school and are expected to behave. How tough is that? Grow up people! |
Have to agree. reading this thread and living in this area and experiencing the day to day selfishness and lack of account accountability for anything done wrong, makes me want to chuck it all and go live on a beach somewhere. Just go to the Giant parking lot on any day and see all the people who decide that walking 2 feet to put a shopping cart is too much and try to stick it anywhere so they don't have to be inconvenienced. The mother's on their cell phone's who don't realize they are driving so much slower, not caring about anyone behind them. The people racing through my neighborhood to get to the intersection and have to wait. I could go on and on. The mother here says she wasn't driving fast. Even though she had to swerve to avoid hitting people. She wasn't paying attention to what was ahead which is why she did not notice a stuck car an cars trying to move around it. And you wonder why kids around here who get in trouble never seem to take any responsibility. Read through this thread. You will have your answer. |
What you are witnessing is the adult behavior of people born between mid 1970's and early 1980's . The lack of responsibility they seem to feel to anyone but themselves is stark when compared to older generations. People in their 30's to early 40's today are the first generation of Americans to be raised from a very young age with a few unique attributes: both probably had parents who worked full time ( distracted parents), were raised in an environment of consumerism unprecedented in American history ( the boom of consumer spending/buying on credit, and all the culture of entitlement that brought). They also lacked expectations for responsibility for self at an early age unlike every generation before them. People in their 30's today were , as children, the first American kids to be driven in car pools to school instead of being expected to learn to walk on their own. They were the first to be driven on "play dates" as opposed to being expected to develop the ability to find their own social activities and make their own friends in the neighborhood using their own social skills. Not to mention the valuable social skills developed while running errands to store for parents , and being expected to play well in neighborhood with other kids without adult intervention. 30 is the new 20 in America and it shows. In 10 more years, 40 will be the new 20 if we don't get it together. |
Definitely. Adults should shape their moral code based on the bumper stickers they display. Because if your kid goes to an expensive school, you should be a good person. But if your kid doesn't go to an expensive school, or if you forgot to put the school sticker on your car, then it's okay to behave badly, because there aren't deeper reasons not to. I sure am glad my kid didn't get into Sidwell. I'm going to have three martinis before I drive him to kindergarten tomorrow. Wahoo! |
How about skipping the car pool line by turning R into the "bus circle" instead of L into the car pool line, and then dumping your kid out of the car thinking no one sees you doing this or is inconvenienced waiting behind you...... |
I'm sure PP didn't mean to provide you with an opportunity to twist his words. PP remembers being admonished that he was representing his school when in public. Of course this is true whether you wear a uniform or not. I am sure he knows that and his point is : behave in a way that will not be a poor representation of the school, period. A friend of mine is HS was one of six. Her father had a poem framed right next to the light switch as you went out the front door . If you looked to turn out the light, you would see it every day you left the house . " Insert last name " as title . It said something about family honor and reputation being carried in one's name and that anyone leaving that front door would be wise to remember that fact . Good advice. |
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It's not all about you.
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Maybe in the suburbs this was true. But I grew up in NY in the 80s and 90s (am now early 30s) and we all went to the store for our parents, never heard of "play dates", you played with your friends outside, and we all walked to school. You are desrcibing something that maybe be true for SOME people but everyone in their 30s. Okay, bubble boy |
| Doesn't this post seem to be bullying by the OP? What was the point of this post other than to bully the supposed bad actor. But no one here was there so we are all debating the bad acts of someone that might not have occured the way OP represents. |
| Perhaps she was upset because Beauvoir kids took all the Sidwell slots this year . . . |
Using the word "bullying" in this context is ridiculous. But then again, the way most people throw the word around these days is ridiculous. We've robbed it of all meaning. Calling someone out, not by name, for reckless behavior -- not bullying. Norwood driver is in no way threatened by OP's post. The people who disagree with her in this thread are in no way threatened by her post. Pet peeve of mine but I hate the way this word is overused and destroyed of meaning. Bullying is a really destructive thing. People saying something with which you disagree or even that hurts your feelings -- not bullying. |
I agree with your underlying point -- that people over-/mis- use the term "bullying." But I do think OP went beyond just calling out the behavior. She was pretty specific in her description of the person. I also think "bullying" is one of those highly subjective offenses. For example, you may honestly think your comments about my hair or skin color are just harmless teasing, but I may perceive them as very hurtful bullying. |
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Bullying involves a threat, intimidation, the use or threatened use of physical contact. there are other things we can condemn, teasing, insulting, embarrassing, other people but they aren't bullying. If I told you I hated your haircut I would be an a-hole, but not a bully. If I held you down and cut it with scissors, or threatened to do that, that would be bullying. I hate your hair is hurtful, but not bullying.
Same with I hate the way you drive. If I keyed your car, or threatened to, thats bullying. If I call you out for your dangerous behavior that is not bullying. Arguably its protecting the public. And those of you who regularly drive your children down River Road may not like the idea of another mother being called out for their behavior, but you sure like the idea of getting your kids home safely. Let me put it another way. I've gotten tickets for speeding. I don't see this as police abuse. I see this as being called out for something I did wrong and an incentive to do better next time. Because I want the roads to be safe too. We all screw up but we all deserve to be called out on it when we do. |
See, the bolded parts above are why I don't think OP's post was really out of concern. It was spite. Also, someone has since posted on the thread saying maybe they are the driver and that it didn't happen the way OP says at all. If OP had left out "crazy mom" and her last sentence had been "I hope someone who can recognize the driver can get word to her to please slow down," that would have been one thing. But that last line really does seem to be all about I'll get back at you for having a kid who attends a private and driving an expensive car. The funny thing is that there is no guarantee that the driver's kid still even attends Norwood. It ends at 8th and some kids leave earlier to go to other schools that go through 12th. There is more than one Norwood family with a black Range Rover, and there probably have been even more in the past. I'm not saying the driver should be applauded for aggressive driving - if in fact that is what happened, which is in doubt based on the possible driver's post. I'm just saying I don't think OP's motives were entirely pure. If OP has also authored a post about an aggressive driver on River Road driving a Toyota with a Churchill sticker on the back, please point me to it. There are plenty of poor drivers on River Road every day. I am sure OP is not short on fodder for more posts, yet I have not seen any. |
| I dont agree with you that physical force is required. If you regularly mock my kinky hair and encourage others to make fun of me, you are a bully. |