I can’t even begin to tell you how many kids I’ve seen disrespecting their parents or acting a fool in public. Whether it’s an overdramatic temper tantrum to an underestimated slap to the mother or even a nice full mouth of profanity. It’s ridiculous. What happened to discipline? What happened to teaching our kids the difference between right and wrong? What happened to boundaries? There should always be boundaries. Not for the purpose of controlling them, but for the sake of their protection and respect.

It’s getting worse. Let me give a personal example. I live in Kissimmee, the Hispanic heart of Florida as some might say. We live in a small little Latino community and it’s fine for the most part with the exception of those two or three neighbors that just get on your nerves no matter what. Well, these neighbors have teenagers and they think it’s perfectly acceptable to leave trash and empty bottles on our lawn. They believe it’s fine to let their basketball hit our cars while they play in the middle of the street.

Now, I don’t mind that kids play in the street, that’s not the dilemma. I get it, the basketball court is too far and they’re too lazy to walk and that’s a whole other problem I won’t dive into in this article. But, there is a basketball court and it should be utilized. Nevertheless, my car doesn’t have any dents yet, but my husband’s does and I’m 99.9% sure it came from them. I’ve seen their balls end up in our yard multiple times and I can almost guarantee they don’t have the common courtesy to let us know, “Hey. We’re sorry, but our ball hit your car.” But I digress.

Children, teenagers, young adults, and humans are direct reflections of their parents. If a parental figure decides to put no effort in to instruct, to teach respect, to educate, or to discipline, then we have a future filled with incompetent assholes. We have a world that I dare say I don’t want my kid to grow up in. I say that for many reasons, but do you see where I’m getting at here?

I’ve seen kids that say things that could get their own parents in trouble. Children lying about their parents hitting them when it’s actually discipline. That’s another issue. It seems lately that in America if you so much as spank your child for bad behavior it is considered “ineffective parenting.” That spanking contributes to negative and anti-social behavior. This is a topic still to this day that is debated among different cultures and different races.

Let me at least say this. When I was about three, I apparently took a fork and I was about to insert it into the electrical socket, but my dad spanked me so hard I never did it again. This isn’t to say that my father’s abusive, he most definitely is not. He was afraid for my immediate safety and that was his instinct. He would rather I hurt for a second than to have me experience immense pain or even death.

This article is not about spanking alone, it’s about doing what it takes to make your children or teenagers understand how to become a functioning human being in society. You’re telling me that doctors have done research claiming that spanking your child leaves them with negative effects, but this has always been a form of punishment proven to be effective for generations.

I’m not saying go and slap your kid for eating a damn cookie before dinner. That’s absurd. I’m saying if you don’t sit your kids down or explain to them why you hit them, yes perhaps it is abuse because you’re not informing them on what they’ve done to deserve a disciplinary correction.

There’s a plethora of ways to let them know they messed up and they won’t partake in any “fun” activities if they continue to act this way. Take their cell phones away. Take the Television away. Take away their tablets, androids, their dolls, hot wheels, whatever the hell they play with. Take that shit away and let them know who is boss.

Stop letting your kids talk like they learned English in the ghetto. Yes, I say ghetto because there’s a difference between knowing English and being educated in the language. Stop letting your kids do whatever they want. They don’t run the world, you as a parent run their world and it seems like that’s forgotten. Parents don’t want to be bothered so they sit their child down in a room somewhere alone with a tablet and only God knows what they’re learning without their supervision.

Let us talk about these school shootings for a minute while we’re on the topic of disciplining bad behavior. According to CNN, we’ve gotten twelve weeks into 2018 and there’s been 17 shootings so far. Now, here’s a crazy thought. Maybe, just maybe, the teens aren’t just suffering with psychological or medical problems, maybe they’re not getting the attention the NEED at home.

Maybe their parents are so distracted with their own selfish desires they don’t want to give their kids enough affection. Those are the ones that are behaving in a negative way. They’re taking it out on the entire school because they get bullied or they don’t have friends or whatever the case may be. Hell, what if you were bullied or your parents stuffed pills in you because they can’t figure out what’s wrong so they assume medication will do the trick?

Now, I’m a huge believer in organic healing and home remedies. I’m not a Christian, but I believe in the power of Jesus Christ and I believe in Him. Maybe, try introducing organic ways of helping your child. That might be a hell of a lot better than a doctor visit where they prescribe a random pill that has more side effects than benefits.

I’ll be honest, I don’t know any of those families, but I wish your loved ones—who are no longer with you—may rest in peace. It’s never news we want to hear and I can’t imagine the anxiety, depression, and fear those parents have experienced.

With that being said, this article isn’t for the parents doing a good job. If you know your kid is well above board and they are bringing home good grades and succeeding, then you deserve a warm pat on the back, but if you feel like I’m speaking directly to you then that’s a problem because I probably am.

If you feel this is directed at you then by all means, change your ways and start acting like the boss that you are and get involved in your child’s life. Ask them how their day was. If it was bad, council them on how to make it better. Get them speaking positively and introduce them to the top three highlights of the day technique. Be with them. Talk to them. For the love of God, that’s probably all they need is someone to hear them out without judgement.

Don’t stuff your teenagers in a dark room with videogames all day long. Make them get their asses outside in the sun and play and be social. Unless they’re allergic to being outside, well, I can’t help you there. Don’t hesitate to be active with them. Let them learn to love being a kid. Try to help them understand how to love themselves.

Do everything in your power to give them the best environment they can have. This most definitely includes their friends. Know who they hang out with and get to know their social groups and social spots. As a parent, it is your job to be intrusive, not their best friend. By the way, it’s not expensive to educate your kids at home about manners and etiquette . All it takes is patience and a lot of TLC. That goes for the whole world or else, we’re doomed.

But what do I know? I'm just a third party observer.