Parents Go On Strike!!!!

[Amanda Morrison]

Originally Posted by MikeDubreuil

I agree, however the grocery store doesn't give out food to most famillies for free. Are the parents providing money to go the grocery store?

I'd say if they were only complaining about the telephone rights, the issue of food doesn't seem to be a problem. Besides, it's not as if the parents went to a hotel and left the kids - they're in the front yard, still using the house for certain functions, etc. From the nature of the articles and the interviews, I highly doubt this is an issue.

When I was a kid, I had chores to do every day/every other day. I had to dust the furniture/appliances, vacuum the living room, clean the glass and mirrors, and keep my room clean. I abhorred my parents for this, I got in trouble for neglecting my duties more times than I have fingers and toes. I was also a ridiculously messy teenager, and my room was more like a battle ground between myself and my parents than an actual bedroom, most of the time.

However, I look back and realize I was very fortunate. My mother did the dishes and laundry, asking for help very few times. Now that I'm old enough to have my own apartment, I find myself cleaning up and doing the apartment chores very often. I keep my own room pretty clean on a normal basis, too. I owe my parents for that - when I came to college, I found out just how gross some people can be.

[Alaina]

I think that's actually kind of funny that the parents left the kids high and dry...
To me, they sound like pretty lazy kids, and they deserved to be in that situation to realize that they don't need their mommy to fulfill their every whim. I mean, I think it's pretty sad that the girl is 12 years old and has only washed clothes once...And doing dishes is so easy, especially since practically all dishwashers nowadays have garbage disposals built into them, so you don't even have to do any scrubbing. And, seriously, how bad can it be to carry a bag of garbage out to the yard to throw it in a can?
I say shame on the whole family. Shame on the kids for being so lazy and irresponsible, and shame on the parents for raising the kids to think it's okay to push your parents around and make them do everything.

[VGMasterShadow]

Originally Posted by Alaina

I think that's actually kind of funny that the parents left the kids high and dry...
To me, they sound like pretty lazy kids, and they deserved to be in that situation to realize that they don't need their mommy to fulfill their every whim.

Yeah, it sounded like those kids were very lazy. The parents must have a reason for doing what they did. They're just fed up with their kids doing nothing, so they're just teaching their kids about reality, in their own, parently sort of way. But that's just my hypothesis on things, I don't really know what's going on in that household.

[MissInformation]

It's not really that original of an idea... there was a made-for-TV movie back in the 80s (I believe) about two parents going on strike. I didn't watch the movie, but I remember seeing the ads for it and thinking "Please, please, please let my parents go on strike..." My sister and I would have been fine, being girls, we were taught the basics of house keeping (and don't think I didn't resent it) but my brothers would have suffered (and yes, I would have been gleeful about it)!

Heidi

<=======>
I've actually been on strike for some time now, but no one's noticed yet. I suppose they would if I actually said what I was on strike for...

[JP_1163]

If you wait until your children are 17 and 12 to teach them responsibility and the only means you have at your disposal is to walk out on them and live in the front yard then you have failed as an adult and as a parent. Children model what they see in the world around them. Obviously if cleanliness, orderliness and ethical behavior are deemed important in the makeup of a child then it is important that the parents model the same behavior themselves. What they are now teaching their children is that when faced with adversity or difficulty in life the easiest thing to do is walk away, pout, sulk and roast marshmallows on the front lawn. Good coping skills are not evident in anyone in this situation. What I'd suggest is a meeting with the parents and the children where expectations are explained, consequences are discussed and a mutual sense of shared purpose is expected of all parties in the family. I suppose that everyone can learn something from this but all I'm picking up is that parenting 101 was obviously not on the curriculum in anyone's school system whether today or yesterday.

[kpugh]

I'm a little disturbed by the fact that when asked about this the son's response was that it was an inconvenience to take the phone out to them. He clearly doesn't see the point and/or doesn't care. (Either that, or they just didn't print that part of his response - entirely possible )

It's a shame that the parents let the children's laziness get to this point. Both of my parents worked so my brother and I were chipping in around the house for as long as I can rememeber. Starting off with small things like picking up our toys when we were younger then advancing to daily chores such as making dinner and doing laundry.

I agree with the principle of what the parents are doing, although it should never have even gotten to this point in the first place.

[MissInformation]

Originally Posted by JP_1163

If you wait until your children are 17 and 12 to teach them responsibility and the only means you have at your disposal is to walk out on them and live in the front yard then you have failed as an adult and as a parent. Children model what they see in the world around them. Obviously if cleanliness, orderliness and ethical behavior are deemed important in the makeup of a child then it is important that the parents model the same behavior themselves. What they are now teaching their children is that when faced with adversity or difficulty in life the easiest thing to do is walk away, pout, sulk and roast marshmallows on the front lawn. Good coping skills are not evident in anyone in this situation. What I'd suggest is a meeting with the parents and the children where expectations are explained, consequences are discussed and a mutual sense of shared purpose is expected of all parties in the family. I suppose that everyone can learn something from this but all I'm picking up is that parenting 101 was obviously not on the curriculum in anyone's school system whether today or yesterday.

Ouch, that seems a little harsh. I don't think the parents waited until now to teach the kids responsibility. Their son said it was inconvenient to take the phone out to them, but isn't the fact that he took it out to them at all a sign of responsibility?

Sure, they made a mistake in raising their kids, it seems like they didn't quite instill a desire to help out in their kids, however if you can show me one set of parents who are completely perfect, well, I still wouldn't believe they were perfect so it wouldn't matter anyhow. Parents are humans, they make mistakes. Personally, I think parenting is the hardest thing in the world to do.

My own opinion on the whole situation is that the strike is just a means of the parents to get their kids attention and that once they have their attention they will work something out. Sometimes doing something extreme is the only way to get through to people. And sometimes walking away is the right thing to do. It's certainly preferable to yelling and screaming at, or god forbid, beating a kid. A mature discussion would be great, but I remember myself at 17 and at 12 and rational thought was not always a part of my personality.

I think the worse thing this will do to these kids is embarrass them a bit in front of their friends (I also think a little bit of humility is good for people). I'm not a parent, and I would never claim to be an expert on parenting, I just wanted to throw out another view on the subject.

Heidi

[greencactus3]

Originally Posted by Alaina

And doing dishes is so easy, especially since practically all dishwashers nowadays have garbage disposals built into them, so you don't even have to do any scrubbing.

are you serious? i guess ours is just old then ours you at least have to get sticky stuff off or itll stay on.