So yesterday I am sitting at my desk working on my computer. One of my teenagers walks into my office, comes behind my desk, and leans over me to look at the computer monitor as if I'm not even sitting there working.
He says, "What are you doing in here?"
I say, "Excuse me, you are all over my personal space and I'm kinda in the middle fo something here."
He says, "My mom pays $40 a monthe for my membership [which is not true] and I can be wherever I want to be."
I says, "You are mistaken, your mom pays a membership so that you can enjoy the Teen Center, not so that you can come into my office and be in my business back here."
He then starts going through one of my cabinets.
I say, "Excuse me, what do you think you are doing? I made it clear that I don't want you back here going through my stuff."
He then proceeds to turn around and open my mini fridge in case there is anything that he feels like helping himself to.
Without losing my cool, but feeling like that is the path that I am speeding down, I stand up and say, "What do you not understand about this office and everything in it being off limits?
and this is what he says to me, "You aren't going to wear me down, I have a teacher who talks back to the principal."
That's it. That's what he said to me. That was his answer.
He looked at me and literally said, " I have an authority figure in my life who set a horrible example for me by being disrespectful to authority and I'm going to run with it. She doesn't have to honor limits, rules, or authority and I'm not going to either." [my paraphrase of course]
Our example screams volumes.
St Francis of Assisi said, "there is no use in us walking somewhere to preach if our walking is not our preaching."
4 comments:
It is I, good sir.
In regard to your post, I have but one word - wow.
That's whats wrong with the world, no respect for leadership or people in charge or their stuff. Glad you kept your cool, since it was getting hot in there, but how can we teach young people these things with others around them do not. Praying for you man, Mr. Keith
Holy crap. I'd love to smack this kid in the head. You've told me you worked with kids like that in the past but I didn't really know how bad it was until now.
Be their light, Jeremy. 'Cause Lord knows they don't have anyone else doing it.
Loads of respect to you for keeping your cool and not just verbally or physically abusing the kid for being a punk. Its a tough dynamic to understand why they act the way they do and at the same time not excuse it because of someone else's mistake. Personal responsibility stands no matter whose example you are shown.
Post a Comment