On Sat 04 Apr 2009 05:03:54a, Kathleen told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
>> On Fri 03 Apr 2009 11:14:38a, Jean B. told us...
>
>>>
>>>I tend to agree on the parents with kids spaces. I sure never
>>>needed such a space. I also never parked particularly close to
>>>the store.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Most likely that's because you had control of your kids. I would guess
>> that you're not the "average" parent of today. :-)
>>
>
> I never used the "parents with kids" spaces. But I always had good
> control of my kids. And when at the age of 2 years, my daughter went
> through a brief phase where she thought it was funny to dart off into a
> crow, she earned herself a harness and bungy leash. Even at the age of
> 27 months, she found it embarrassing enough that we only had to use it a
> couple of times.
>
> Not long ago I was up at Walmart and just down the aisle from me I saw a
> student, a 4th grade girl, from one of the Gifted Ed classes that I
> cover, shopping with her mother. I don't remember what the exchange was
> about but the mother had told her "no" about something she wanted. And
> she rolled her eyes, glared at her mom and said, "Whatever!"
>
> Now, I don't know how it is in other parts of the country, but where I
> live and teach, "Whatever" is just about as rude, dismissive and defiant
> a phrase as you can come up with, shy of actual profanity, and it is
> used almost exclusively by females. Any classroom where I teach is a
> "No Whatever" zone.

I totally agree.

> And I spun around and snapped "Kayla!" She looked up, recognized me,
> turned to her mother and produced the ritual apology, "I'm sorry for
> being rude and disrespectful. It was uncalled for. There are better
> ways to express my feelings."
>
> "Mom, this is Missus H. She teaches Spectra sometimes."
>
> I could see Mom trying to decide if she should be outraged or grateful.
> And to be honest, I wasn't sure if i'd overstepped the boundaries or
> not. People give lip service to the idea that it takes a village to
> raise a child but...

Kathleen, you're obviously a good mother and a good teacher, and not what I
perceive as part of the majority today.

--
Wayne Boatwright

"One man's meat is another man's poison"
- Oswald Dykes, English writer, 1709.