Mr Rogers Made Your Kid a Brat

The Wall Street Journal has an article on why kids are getting more and more obnoxious.

It's all Mr Rogers fault.

It turns out, 'those in the know', are rethinking a few of the child-rearing strategies of the last few decades.

1. "You're special." Mr. Rogers spent years telling little creeps that he liked them just the way they were. He should have been telling them there was a lot of room for improvement. ... Nice as he was, and as good as his intentions may have been, he did a disservice.


2. "They're just children." When kids are rude, self-absorbed or disrespectful, some parents allow or endure it by saying, "Well, they're just children." As an excuse or as justification for unacceptable behavior, "They're just children" is just misguided.


3. "Call me Cindy." When a child calls an adult Mr. or Ms., it helps him recognize that status is earned by age and experience. It's also a reminder to respect your elders.


4. "Tell me about your day." In America today, life often begins with the anointing of "His Majesty, the Fetus," From then on, many parents focus their conversations on their kids. More of today's parents are better educated and more in touch with the world than ever before. So why do our kids see us primarily discussing kids' schedules and activities?
   Parents should talk about their passions and interests; about politics, business, world events. Because everything is child-centered today, we're depriving children of adults. If they never see us as adults being adults, how will they deal with important matters when it is their world?