Even babies are jerks.
There are a lot of rotten kids. But most of the rotten ones mature at some point, and learn to hide their rottenness. They become the two timers, backstabbers, stapler stealing sort you encounter as adults.
Yeah, normally I would disagree with the OP but that was until I was exposed to my 3 year old niece. Dear god she’s a heathen. I love her to death but I can’t stand to be around her most of the time. My daughter’s just about 5 and my niece is just downright mean to her. Hits her, bosses her around, saying things I know she hears from her dad, (“You stop that RIGHT now or I’m going to tan your hide!”), rips toys out of her hands, etc. And she’s such a manipulator too. She does this more with her older brother than my daughter (because I don’t stand for it), but she’ll bug him and pester him and poke and prod him until he loses his temper and yells at her. And he’ll be the one to get in trouble. And of course, she’s grinning from ear to ear as it happens.
You’re right, he probably doesn’t have a clue. However, some kids just come out of the womb as damaged goods. What works on other kids, parenting-wise, won’t work on them.
Yep. I’ve been watching a close friend of mine daughter grow up. I can tell you right now for sure this girl is going to be a user. And sad part is, it’s not entirely her fault.
As far as cuteness goes, they don’t make them any cuter. All the adults in this girl’s life have always fawned over her. Way more than her older brother. She pretty much gets the majority of what she wants by “being cute.” And by being cute, I mean, she already knew how to work it by say 4 or 5. (Hugs, sitting in your lap, that sort of thing.)
Now she’s around 9 or 10. My friend was telling me about a meeting he had at his daughter’s school over her failing grades. What he told me just makes my head want to explode: (This said by the school) “Sir we’ve tried everything we know of with your daughter to no avail. We’ve tried special classes, special tutoring, etc.. She just doesn’t seem to want to learn. There is really not much else we can do for your daughter. (And this here is the clincher) But at least she’s pretty…”
WTF?
Blahh. Another case of parents not understanding kids. A child that age doesn’t really understand that if they say something it doesn’t make it so. This is different from a teenager who would be intentionally lying about who took the car keys. My sister spends a lot of time on home schooling message boards where there are a lot of fundamental Christians whose big thing is punishing kids, even really young one like this one for lying.
I have a school bus stop in front of my house. Yes, little kids are assholes. Boys and girls, but mostly boys especially when they are in groups. The high school kids are great, they just stand there and sulk.
As a teacher, I can tell you that kids’ parents are faaaaaaaaar more the assholes.
It’s not even close.
If only there was a return policy.
I’ve seen a lot of kids, having raised five and seeing all their schoolmates at all ages of life. I think most little kids are just fine. There are a few in the under-10 group who are unholy terrors, but on the whole I find that age to be pretty easy to deal with. I think the two worst groups are middle school boys and high school girls. They form bands of thugs who take pleasure in making life miserable for their targets. The middle school boys engage in physical bullying, attacks on the bus and gym class, that sort of thing. But they’re angels compared to high school girls, who focus their attacks on the emotional state of the victim. Backstabbing little bitches, they are.
in fairness, I rarely hear of the concept of the “innocence” of teens, adults, or seniors.
I would worry about what your niece is being exposed to. Is she subject to regular “disciplinary” beatings? Some children learn very early in life that being older simply gives you right to authority and control, and enact that out when playing with younger children. Honestly, she seems as much in need of help and kinder supervision, as your daughter does when she plays with her.
Do you mean “Seriously, kids are HOLES?”
That’s where it’s at. Up until 12 there is no basis nor benefit in blaming kids.
My brother is very strict with his kids. Too strict in my opinion but, not my kids so… I know they do spank, but I know they don’t take it to an extreme. I agree that she might need a softer touch but it’s not my place to say anything. I try to supervise them myself when they’re playing but since we all live together right now, I can’t always be the one. I do try to give her direction, like “use your words when you’re angry” and “it’s not ok to take toys from people” but it’s not seeming to sink in :\
Yes. Bad behavior can come out of even good kids, but the truly awful kids don’t just crawl out of the ocean. They are repeatedly shown bad behavior or are completely neglected and left to their own devices.
Somehow spanking became confused with child abuse… Letting your little sh*t turn into a monster is true child abuse.
Well, I wouldn’t consider it child abuse if it’s done within reason (no tools like belts, paddles), but there’s been many studies done that prove that it’s not very effective at all. I know there’s lots of anecdotal ‘proof’ of it working. But it doesn’t seem to be the most effective method of discipline. I’ve never spanked my daughter and she’s the best behaved kid in the entire family.