"They used all the influence they could muster to keep their kids out of trouble."

I have always been really interested in the Columbine High School shootings. It could be because I watched most of it unfold from my room at UNCG in between classes. It has always just tugged at my heart because I am the type of person who wants to know how on earth two boys could become such killers. Today they have realeased the journals of the shooters as well as one of the father's of the shooters. The father's journal details a long history of trouble that his son was in. After hearing about it one of the victim's father's realeased the above quote that I find so interesting and part of a whole culture we have become in the US of letting our kids pretty much do whatever they want.
My mother was a third grade teacher. She cared for her students and actually gave them bad grades when they deserved it and actually made them take responsibility for bad behavior in her class. I can't tell you the nights she came home in tears or had parents hang up on her because she took the time to care enough to want them to do better. Some of her parents would actually try to go above her head and tell the principal she was unfair because their son/daughter received a bad grade even though they deserved it. I hated it for her but one thing I have learned about my mother is that it takes more love and effort to discipline than it does to just ignore problems.
We kept my nephews the other day. They are 4 and 2 and my husband bless his heart has just never been around small kids a whole lot in his life. He told me that he really hopes our kids turn out well and he was asking about how can parents really guarantee that you do all this work that your kids won't turn out to be rotten individuals. My answer and I really can't give anyone a very justified opinion because I am not a parent yet, was that its a job. It's a serious job that requires WORK, you have to stay on them and tell them no and not be their friend. My mother sure wasn't my friend growing up, she is now and is actually probably my best friend. So I am just praying that parents everywhere would not be afraid to say no and notice when your kids are in trouble because it could be your kid thats dodging bullets in the hallway and that just isn't acceptable to me anymore.