I was watching the news the other day and could do nothing other than shake my head at a story regarding a young lady who led the police on a high speed chase because she was going to be late for her internship. Are you kidding me. According to the report, the police officer was attempting to pull her over for driving alone in the HOV lane. For those not familiar, HOV stands for High Occupancy Vehicle and are reserved at all times for vehicles transporting two or more passengers.
This chick crosses SIX lanes of traffic and nearly side swipes another vehicle that had been pulled over by another officer. She finally exited the interstate and when she was finally stopped, started crying and pleaded her case to the officer that she was trying to get to her internsip on time. Enough, I can’t. This is sheer stupidity, she could have injured or even killed someone. I’m just not sure who is to blame here, her or her parents.
So after listening to that foolishness, I started thinking about the show on VH1 called “You’re Cut Off.” Anybody seen it? Clueless, this show highlights young women who have been pampered all of their lives and all of a sudden their caregivers have become tired of their obnoxious ways and are “cutting” them off. In an effort to provide them with the life skills necessary for them to fly the coop, each week they are presented with a challenge. If they complete the challenge they pass for the week, if not they fail. Boy, I tell ya some of the things that come out of these girls mouths, literally have me dropping mine.
As a parent, I am always worried that I will protect my children too much from the things of the outside world that they need to be familiar with in order to survive. There is truly a thin line between pampering your children and crippling them to the realities of the real world. I understand some parents want their children to have what they didn’t, myself included but there needs to be a limit. Its a shame that people think they are above the law or better than others because of their financial status. One things is for sure, if they live long enough, they will undoubtedly learn that life can and will spank that boo-tay. Too bad some people don’t realize until they are getting their mug shot done. How unfabulous.
The Intern
How do you feel? When is enough, enough when it comes to spoiling and pampering children. Should expected things likes good grades, and behavior be rewarded?
11 Comments
Anonymous
February 2, 2011 at 12:36 amYikes! What a jerk. Funny enough, when I was reading and you wrote “Clueless,” I thought you were going to refer to that scene where Dion is driving the red BMW convert and Murray is coaching her with Cher in the backseat and she swerves across the freeway! LOL. Okay, not a funny situation but funny how the mind works.
I’m totally with you. We’re early in the game but my huz and I talk all the time about what it’s going to take to NOT raise spoiled brats living in Manhattan.
Sigh.
Glamamom
February 2, 2011 at 12:37 amOops, that was me above 😉
Krissy
February 2, 2011 at 12:44 amI don’t know what happened up there. You can gon head and delete that one lol.
But like I was saying, that story is dumb. She seems like she was drunk or high or something because that’s not a normal way to behave. You’re cut off is dumb as well. Althought I find myself watching when it reruns (don’t judge me).
I don’t know Mimi. I don’t think I’ll be rewarding jasmine for good grades or behavior. That’s her only job as a child and I don’t want her to feel like she gets rewards for doing well. I do however believe that children should be acknowledged for doing well. Make sure they know you’re proud of them. Every so often take them out and do something nice for them to reinforce how proud you are of them but that’s about it. I never got rewarded for good grades because I knew it was my job.
Alicia @MommyDelicious
February 2, 2011 at 12:53 amDude, it’s so true. I definitely want my son to have everything I didn’t have. And more. But I want him to earn things too. To feel as though he has accomplished something, ya know? That’s why I push him to do well, even at 3 years old. But I also reward him. When he gets older, things like doing well in school and homework, chores, etc will be rewarded from time to time, but I don’t want him to grow to expect a reward from it.
Christina
February 2, 2011 at 9:13 amI guess it didn’t occur to her tojust leave home earlier so she wouldnt be late? And she didnt realize that if she ended up in an accident, she would be late for a lot more than that job…smh.
As far as rewarding kids for good grades and good behavior, I don’t see a problem with it. To me, it teaches them that hard work gets desired results (ice cream on report card day, or an extra $10 or your allowance that month, or whatever is age appropriate) and that laziness and bad behavior doesn’t. (no trips the arcade, sleepover, whatever) I mean, as adults, at jobs, yeah we work hard because we’re supposed to, but when a raise, or a promotion is on the table, it makes your hard work a little more rewarding, and maybe even motivates you on days when you just dont feel like being there, or hate your boss, etc. I think the same goes for kids. I think that the problem is that these people are not teaching the child enough (in a way that makes sense to them, individually) about the value of hard work, and that effort=reward (instead of lazy=reward), not how much they’re given.
Kiea
February 2, 2011 at 6:12 pmTotally irrelevant to your post but YAY!!! I found you!! You weren’t in my blog update thingy anymore. I love following your posts so I was a bit sad. Guess I’ll figure out how to add you back:)
Candace
February 2, 2011 at 6:14 pmI wonder if she still has this “internship”?? Loser! I worry about this all the time, but no I don’t think grades, good manners, and such should be rewarded, encouraged and praised but I’m not going to pay you for something you’re SUPPOSED to be doing in the 1st place. Some parents just don’t know how to say no or pull back, I’m hoping I learn early.
Laila @OnlyLaila
February 2, 2011 at 6:16 pmSo she puts her life and the lives of others in jeopardy for an internship? Her parents must be so proud.
I agree, I want my son to have the best that I can provide but I also want him to be a responsible, mature and thoughtful adult. I work with college students so I see what happens when their parents hold their hands. It’s really scary and I fear for our future. :-/
MrsTDJ
February 4, 2011 at 10:11 amShe’s foolish. Bottom line. My parents had more to provide for me than their parents had for them, but they did so within reason. I led a good life, but I had responsibilities – school being #1, then household chores, etc. “To whom much is give, much is required” was spoken around my house OFTEN. I seek to instill the same in my son.
YUMMommy
February 5, 2011 at 8:10 pmI can count on one hand the number of times I got rewarded for doing things that were expected of me. Heck, my mom even stopped giving us allowance stating that we did not need to get paid for doing chores because we lived there and it was only right that we cleaned up. I have to agree. I don’t think kids need to be rewarded with money or things for doing what they are expected to do.
If you’re going to reward your child then a hug and some kind words of praise will do finely. I think kids learn to always look for things when they do good and then when financial hardships hit and you can’t keep it up they stop feeling motivated to do chores, keep their grades up, etc. Moo and JJ don’t even have to worry about me starting with giving them money for doing chores or keeping their grades up.
Tyler Flood
October 18, 2018 at 1:46 pmPolice officers can’t be always smart and do their job right. Especially when racism comes in or some complex situation arises. Not everyone is so good at their job, police is not an exception