I am not saying everything my parents did was correct but… it was consistent, they never waivered in what they wanted of us or expected and I always felt parented. Child… today we want to be our kid’s friend. We want to hang with them, dress like them and most importantly, we want them to like us! OUR PARENTS DID NOT CARE IF WE LIKED THEM! They had a more important goal, to raise us up to be the men and women they knew we could be. And might I say, statistics show, the children of our generation are less troubled and commit less crimes and it is clear, we are 100% more mannerly than these kids today! Whatever happened to yes sir and no ma’am? The reason they come to church dressed any kind of way is because they have not been taught to respect God to that degree. Sure, we do stress the “come as you are” motto in church but, we have all heard the phrase about wearing your Sunday best? Scratch that! Is there such a thing as Sunday best anymore? But if a school said you couldn’t wear a t-shirt with writing on it, we wouldn’t let our kids go to school with a t-shirt with writing on it; yet, we will let them wear ANYTHING to God’s house. Then when they grow up in this manner, they expand their horizons and then dress (as Madea would say) IN-TI (any) KIND OF WAY!!!! And we shouldn’t act shocked or surprised, we raised them this way!

Let me tell you what I think is awful, when I the parent am driving/riding in a car I paid for, listening to music I don’t listen to, talking on the phone and literally straining and screaming to hear and be heard because my teenager is listening to God knows what! Can you say stupid! It’s my car! If I don’t listen to beeboop because I don’t want it down in my spirit, you ain’t gonna listen to it either, especially in MY CAR and have me screaming to hold a conversation! Again, can you say stupid! I think it is awful when, just a few years ago, when my child was a toddler I called all those hot young teenagers nasty in their skin tight, boob showing apparel, and now that my child is a teenage and does it, I just stand there and marvel at her size 2 frame and think how cute she and all her boobies are spilling out over that top! I think it is a shame when my child cuts her hair and look like Kent instead of Kathy because she wants to express her (manly) self. I think it is awful when my child totally disrespects my curfew and comes in whenever they choose. I think it is awful if I catch my child watching all manner of ungodliness and only say, ooooooo, when your daddy sees you watching that he is going to get you! We as parents need to MAN UP! Teach our kids in a manner that will produce great men and women! Furthermore, teach them to be people that contribute to society! Who cares how they feel about it or what they think! Our parents didn’t and God in heaven knows, my brothers would not have stepped their baby toe out the door with saggy pants on, showing their butts, with either of my parents in their right minds!

Here’s the thing, at the end of the day, at the end of childhood, my precious pudding pie bundle of joy, typically turns out to be a mixture of who they innately are – genes from me and the father – along with the results of the man or woman I raised them to be. Simple as that….