Mommas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Idiots

With all of the political, social, and general turmoil going on lately, it seems like the crazies are coming out of the woodwork. Seriously. 

First, you have the Republican party. I mean COME ON. I am not a hard line liberal, there are many things I agree with that would be considered conservative, and there are many things I agree with that would be considered liberal. I consider myself independent. But it really seems like every time a republican opens their mouth lately some moronic comment is said that just makes more and more people run for the hills. You have this Rep. Jodi Lautenberg (R-TX). Holy hell this woman is a joke. First of all, to look at her you wonder if she’s real or just a prop from Madame Tussaud’s. Then you hear her speak, and you wish she wasn’t real. She argued against prenatal care for women because, well, “they’re not born yet.” She said that rape kits could cause abortions in women. I’m sure she has said many other stupid things, but it hurts my head too much to read much of it. She was also a key author in this last Texas legislation restricting women’s rights. I want to punch her in her plastic face. She's not the only one that has made such ridiculous comments, but most of the others have come from men, and, well......they're men. She should bloody well know better. But alas, she's an idiot. No doubt raised by a God-fearing woman who cringed at the sight of her husband, acquiesced to his every demand, believed every single thing the Bible said (even though it contradicts itself throughout), and believed the only reason for sex was to create a baby. 

You have people like Ted Cruz (R-TX), another one from Texas - good grief - who said after Obama’s comments about Trayvon Martin, that Obama “just wants to take your guns.” I’m sorry, but, HUH?? Mr. Cruz admitted he hadn’t even heard the speech. But he took the opportunity to use those same old scare tactics all those good old boys like to use, and I am sure he got a big pat on the back from the NRA at some point, also. I am so SICK of this he said/she said crap going on in our government. There is so much back biting and mud slinging, it’s embarrassing. You want Obama to stop “apologizing” for America? Stop making him have to. Mr. Cruz, you are a narrow-minded hypocrite who talks and talks about liberty for all, and yet you just helped to further restrict the rights of women in Texas with this latest bill. You are male, and until you can become pregnant and find your life in danger due to that pregnancy, or you become pregnant by rape or molestation.....oh, WAIT! That can never happen! Idiot. Here is a fantastic article for you to read....

The Neverending Wisdom of Ted Cruz

I’ve got news for you, people. The government does NOT want to take your guns. The government does NOT want to strip the 2nd amendment from the Constitution. Stop the ridiculous paranoia. What reasonable people want is restrictions on gun ownership.....let’s not put military assault rifles in the hands of the mentally ill, mmmm-kay? And I don’t care how much you like them, no one needs to own a machine gun. You’re gonna hunt with it my ass.......unless you plan on obliterating whatever it is you’re hunting, you don’t need a fucking machine gun to hunt. I love the argument that the founding fathers gave us the right to bear arms. The founding fathers could never have imagined the level of weaponry available today. And their main reason for including such an amendment was so the citizens could protect their homes from invading soldiers and native americans. It seriously cracks me up that the most vociferous about keeping their guns also tend to be the most holier than thou. Please, someone show me where it says in the Bible that you have the right to own a gun. Stop being idiots. 

Moving away from politics, because we could be there all day, I’m gonna go after the moms at the playground. You know the ones, the moms who ignore their kids, the moms who sit and chat while sipping their grande lattes, all the while completely oblivious to the fact that their precious little cherubs are causing havoc on the monkey bars. These are the kids who grow up to be bullies, “mean girls”, and spoiled brats. The moms are convinced that their kids can do no wrong, but they never observe enough to see whether that’s true or not, and they’ll be the first ones to step up and tell their little offspring how amazingly perfect they are......that they can do no wrong, everything is everyone else’s fault, and so on and so on. They get in trouble at school? It must be the teacher. They get in trouble in sports? It must be the coach. They get in trouble at a friend's house? It must be the friend. In essence, they’re creating little monsters for the rest of us to deal with. Little monsters that grow up into big, pain in the ass adults who have no idea how to navigate socially. You didn’t think these people were born that way, did you? Children learn by what they see and hear every day. 

Which brings me to bigotry and racism. I just don’t get it. Growing up, my parents were divorced when I was very young and my mother remarried a man who was very bigoted, and he brought out that very ugly side of her that I hadn’t really seen before. My best friend in sixth grade was black, but she was never allowed at my house, we couldn’t have sleepovers, and it was all just kind of brushed under the rug as to why. I actually called both of them racists at one point. I never really forgave my mother for that. But by that point I had grown up quite a bit due to the divorce, and I knew what was right and what was wrong. 

What IS wrong is judging a person by the color of their skin. Black, white, asian, hispanic, or anything else, I don’t care. As long as you are nice to me I will be nice to you. Even if you’re wearing a hoodie. But open your mouth and start spouting some punk ass nonsense? Yep, I’m done. I don’t stereotype and I don’t make blanket statements about groups of people. I do get really frustrated with people who continually use events that happened over a hundred years ago to justify their struggles now. No, I do not know what it’s like to be judged by my race. I’m pretty white bread. But I also know that there are many people, of many different backgrounds, who have worked hard to pull themselves out of their situations and make their lives better. They didn’t sit around and complain, they DID something. I don’t think anyone would say it was easy. And it makes me ill that there are people out there like that Ann Coulter bitch (that’s just stupidity walkin’ right there, her momma must be so proud....). But my husband and I teach our girls at every opportunity that what a person looks like doesn’t matter one bit.....we are nice to people unless they give us a reason not to be. I’ve had people close to me try to argue that Obama should be impeached (give me one specific reason why), that he has disrespected his office (again, specifics), and so on. I know for a fact that the biggest problem these people have with him is that he is black. That is just insanity. 

This is a capitalist country, not a communistic or socialist one. That means that you work for what you want and you don’t sit around waiting for someone to hand you a million dollars. Publisher’s Clearing House is not going to come knocking on your door, I am pretty sure. I have the utmost respect for people who have worked their way to success, and especially for those who hit rock bottom and climbed back up, fighting all the way. I do not tolerate people who abuse the system, collecting their welfare checks while popping out more and more kids, and yet they seem to have brand new tattoos and cell phones every week. I have a problem with that. THOSE are the idiots. And they were more than likely raised by parents who did the exact same thing. People who sit around complaining about how others have more than they do, how it’s not fair, how it’s all Obama’s fault. Or Bush’s fault. Someone else’s fault, anyone’s fault except their own. Because it can’t be their responsibility that they are in the situation they are in, right? Idiots. Everyone has choices. Your situation is a direct result of choices you make. Now.....don’t go all apeshit on me. I am NOT talking about people who are in dire straits due to unfortunate circumstances......people who were laid off because the company closed, people who were injured and legitimately cannot work, people who have genuine reasons that have caused their situations. So get off your high horses. 

Ahhh, bigotry......such a vile word and such a hateful thing. I am very much for equal rights for everyone. Don’t agree? Get OVER IT! No one cares whether or not you agree, but you don’t have the right to tell other people how to live. I cannot understand people who think they have to right to judge how other people live their lives. If someone is happy, why does that make you angry? And furthermore, why in the hell do you care? Again, we have the bible thumpers screaming and hollering that it’s wrong, it’s against the Bible, blah blah blah. It's against  your religion? Who fucking cares? I’m sorry, but at what point did the Bible become the law of the land? This country was NOT founded on Christianity, contrary to what a lot of so-called Christians would have you believe. It was founded in part on the freedom of religion, which includes the freedom NOT to believe. This country is a melting pot......there are people here of all backgrounds, religions, beliefs, and cultures. The Christian “Right” are losing their ever-loving minds. 

Children are not born to hate, to be intolerant, to be bigots, to be hateful. Children learn racism from racist parents. Children learn bigotry from parents who are bigots. Children learn intolerance, hatred, fear, absolutism, nonchalance, and disregard for the feelings of others from parents who exhibit the same traits. Children repeat things they hear at home and they do it at school, at parties, at friend’s houses. And I guarantee you the adults in attendance know where it came from. 

Teach your children to appreciate the differences in each other and in the people around them. Teach them to be courteous. Teach them to accept people for who they are. Teach them that it’s ok to walk away from someone if that person is hateful, rude, intolerant, or bigoted....even if it’s a friend. Teach them to ask questions. Teach them that how other people live their lives is not their business, and it doesn’t affect them. Teach them to love. Teach all of this by doing it yourself. Every day. Teach them to stand up for what they believe in, but to do it with dignity, and that it’s not ok to degrade, humiliate, or insult others simply because their opinions differ.  

In other words, don’t let them grow up to be idiots. 

(Oh, and manners, PLEASE teach them manners.)

Stupid People, Part 2: Parents

Yep, parents.

So let's start with the mother of the two brothers responsible for the vicious attacks in Boston.

Ok so I get it. You're their mother. You're supposed to think they're innocent. But I am pretty sure this applies to your child pushing someone on the playground, pulling a little girl's hair, or stealing gum from the candy store. Lady, your older son had explosives strapped to his body and he was shooting at the police. We kind of get testy when that happens. You say you regret bringing them to America? Why don't you tell that to the families of the four people they murdered? Freakin' nut job.

Hold on, I need a second. Deep breaths. Ok.

Next, we'll move on to examples of parents who have little or no common sense. A perfect example? Right here.....

I'm sorry, but I will argue with anyone who says it's "normal" to give a FIVE YEAR OLD a real, working shotgun for their birthday. A child that age does not have the mental capability to understand the seriousness of what a weapon like that is capable of. But then to leave the room, leaving the gun with said child, LOADED, with your two year old in the room?? 

WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?????? 

Oh wait, you were the same person who gave the gun to the five year old in the first place. Never mind.  

I have two children. They are five years apart. I cannot even imagine the horror of this situation. May that sweet baby girl rest in peace, may that poor sweet boy somehow move on and become a productive part of society, and may those parents never, ever forget that it is their fault for putting that gun in that child's hands. And if any of you try to argue and tell me it was an accident, you can just can it. That's bullshit and you know it. 

Ok, hang on again. I'm gonna need a couple of seconds here. Lord have mercy. 

All righty then. Let's talk about the parents who want to be their kid's buddy. Their pal. Hell, even their best friend. These people joke at inappropriate times, throw food across the table with their kids trying to get them to laugh, use sarcasm when it's not needed or wanted, and generally make asses out of themselves trying to live vicariously through their children. These are the the moms of the Honey Boo Boo's, the parents of the Lindsay Lohan's, and pretty much any other parent who would subject their children to being on a reality show. The above mentioned people? I can't even get started on them, because I would never stop writing. That Honey Boo Boo chick is a total train wreck, beating out Lindsay Lohan by a smidge, and only because her mother is even scarier. Pageant moms. There's a topic for another day.

Then you have the enablers. These parents are the ones who smile and laugh when their kids tell them, "I hate you." They're the ones who buy anything and everything the kid wants because they want the kids to like them. They do the "talking" thing instead of actual consequences, because they are afraid of harming their child's self-esteem somehow. These are also the Helicopter Parents. They hover, circle, and swoop in at the first sign of any struggle, never letting the child figure anything out for themselves. They blame the teachers, the other students, the principal, and hell, even the lunch ladies in school for their child's poor grades or issues because it just can't be anything the child is doing wrong. Any trouble the kid gets into must be someone else's fault. They will continually bail their children out of any situation, so much so that by the time the child graduates, they have no idea how to fend for themselves.

I am not a perfect parent. I have never claimed to be. But I have worked with kids of all ages, in preschool and as a teacher in elementary school. I've changed more diapers than most of you will ever see in a lifetime, I've worn so many hats I've lost count, I've done it all. And do I know everything? Absolutely not. But would I ever do this??

Of course not. Why? Because I am not an idiot.

I am a child of a nasty divorce, and I come from the most dysfunctional family....seriously, Dr. Phil would have a FIELD DAY with these people. I grew up in the south with racism, bigotry, intolerance, and hatred, and yet I put myself through college, I contribute to charities, I married a wonderful, successful man who has his priorities straight, I strongly believe in being kind to others (unless they give you reasons not to be), I am very strict about social rules, manners, and etiquette, and my children and I try to practice random acts of kindness whenever we get the chance. We thank service men and women when we see them, we bake cookies for the fire and police departments, and we volunteer and get involved with our town. Why am I telling you this? BECAUSE A BAD PAST IS NO EXCUSE FOR A FAILING PRESENT. Blaming your inadequacies as a parent on your upbringing is just crap. People who refuse to take responsibility for their actions and who blame all of their troubles on others just piss me off. You make choices. Don't blame others if you made crappy ones.

I love it when I hear, "I can't control my children." Really? At what point did you decide to give up on being a parent and let the kids walk all over you? Kids misbehaving in the restaurant? LEAVE. Give them one warning. Then leave. It might be inconvenient for you, but they'll get the point. Kids not listening at the mall, or whining because they are not getting everything they want? LEAVE. Kids acting up in the grocery store? Yep, you guessed it.....LEAVE. Even if you have a full cart of groceries. I have walked up to a manager, pushed my cart full of food over to them, apologized profusely, and walked out of the store with a screaming child. I have also put my child in time out in the middle of the store. You are the parent. Act like it. You are the one in control. Act like it. My first born tries every day to push my buttons and get her way, and every day it doesn't work. You'd think she would have figured that out by now. 

Oh and here's a good one........I've got news for you, people.....not everyone thinks your kids are as cute as YOU think they are. So if your kids are being loud in a public place, especially when it's inappropriate, it is {newsflash!} your job to take care of the situation. This is especially directed at you.....oh brainiac parents who take their toddlers to R-rated movies that start at 8 or 9 pm. This is also directed at the parents who do nothing to keep their children entertained on airplanes, buses, subway trains, or other enclosed spaces, and the parents who are oblivious to the fact that their children are bothering or touching other people. Just last night my husband and I were having dinner, sitting outside on the patio of our favorite restaurant. The man sitting with his back to my husband picked up his son, who looked to be about three years old. The child kept poking my husband in the back. I used my mommy tone and told the child to keep his hands to himself, dad stayed oblivious. Kid did it again, my husband turned around and said, "Hey!" The kid stopped, dad stayed oblivious. 

Now, I love kids. I really do. I focus in on kids anywhere I go before I notice adults. I love talking to kids, I love interacting with kids. It's one of the reasons I became a teacher. But one thing I hate is for kids or anyone to invade my personal space. Even when it's my own kids. I just need my space. Hugs and cuddles are different, but don't just start messing with me. I can't take it. So one thing that makes me nuts is standing in lines in public places. People do NOT control their children or pay attention to them at all. I have had kids (and I am talking teenagers) stand right up next to me while waiting in line. I have had people standing behind me holding children where the children have pulled my hair. I take a step forward, they take a step forward. Seriously, I don't belong to you! Back the heck off! I will loudly tell my children not to get into other people's space, if only to make the point to other people standing around us. I will say, "Those people don't belong to us, don't stand so close," or, "There is no reason for us to stand so closely to these nice people, let's give them their space." Does it work? Yeah, not so much. People are just clueless. And it's just getting worse.  

I've said for years that I think it's absolutely ridiculous that you must have a license to catch a fish or shoot a gun, but any moron can have a child. Does anyone else feel the same way?

Here's an idea......start making parents responsible for the stupid crap their children do. Kid brings a weapon to school? Teenage boys get into a fight at a game? Haul the parents in.....and chastise them for not teaching their children to know better. How about the teenage girl that flipped off the judge in the courtroom? Her parents should also have been fined for raising such a brat. Lindsay Lohan, anyone? Her parents should have been spade and neutered before they were ever even allowed to have children.  Then we have the teenage girls that throw their babies in trash cans. The bullies who harass their schoolmates to the point of suicide. How about the 17 year old soccer player in Utah who punched the referee in the side of the head after being issued a foul, ultimately killing him? How is it that these people are allowed to raise these completely unproductive, sociopathic, disrespectful, conscience free individuals and then unleash them into society for all of us to deal with? Where is the logic in that? Maybe if people KNEW there would be consequences for raising children who are complete reprobates, they might think twice before having children OR they might really try to do a better job of raising them in the first place. 

And the creme de la creme? The icing on the cake? The "OH MY GOD I WANT TO PUNCH THIS WOMAN IN THE FACE THROUGH MY COMPUTER SCREEN!!!"?

Yep, I'll leave you with that one. Y'all have a nice day.