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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have to agree modern American parenting is a disaster for everyone. Exhausting for the parents, soul-destroying for the kids, and creating a monstrous nation of self-obsessed little sh!ts.

Kids need to be taught manners and ignored more. [/quote]

I don't know if I completely understand the teacher's point. If it's about teaching respect for others and that others' needs should be considered when you act or speak, then I agree. If I'm honest, though, traditional conventions of civility and manners are now frowned upon as vestiges of injustice and systemic racism. While there is truth to the view that old-school views on manners historically were wielded offensively to disadvantage others, it's increasingly difficult to teach kids to consider and respect others' rights when so few people are doing it.

I'll also say, as a parent who never told my kids they are the center of the universe, it's a balancing act to help them cultivate self-confidence in a "me-centric" world. I have one kid who, for various reasons, has internalized the messages telling him to shut up and listen to an unhealthy point where he feels he has nothing to offer. There's an art to developing confidence, balancing your needs with those of others, and not letting one overshadow the other. I'm a middle-aged woman, and I'm still working on it; we shouldn't expect kids to do this perfectly.
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