Kids These Days

I was, in no way, a wonderfully behaved teen. I did some things that I am not so proud of. I rebelled against my parents' rules and behaviors they had taught me. I was very curious about some things they never talked about. I made some mistakes that changed my life forever, but I definitely learned from them. As I think back about all the times I did not make good choices, I constantly remind myself that I have a merciful and loving God who has already forgiven me and because of this, I no longer have to regret those things from my past. I do, however, want to continue to learn from them and use them to teach my children to walk with the Lord even throughout those tough teenage years when no one else seems to be. Working in the public school system has really helped me to understand how blessed I am to have parents who did all they could to support me academically, athletically, and spiritually.

In my job, I am in charge of lab reservations and the overseeing of the open computer lab. I also received a new duty this year, Pi Sigma Advisor. Pi Sigma is a group of the top junior and senior students in the school who go into classrooms and assist the teacher in giving students extra help with assignments. For the most part, these are the "good kids" who do not cause trouble, who make good grades, and who are involved in several extracurricular activities. I do, however, have to deal with more challenging students at times. I have had a student open inappropriate content on the computer that contained sexual acts being performed on an animation software. I have also had a student trying to post pictures of herself in her bra and panties on a social networking site. I have students all the time trying to play online games that consist of blowing stuff up, shooting people in the head, and fighting, but each and every situation was handled with appropriate disciplinary action and there have definitely not been any repeat offenders. 

Out of the classroom, I have encountered dress code violations (girls' tops too low, boys not shaving, holes in jeans, etc.), cell phone use in the building (it is usually the parents calling/texting the kids), and one student punching another in the ribs. Just last week, as I walked down the hall, I discovered an empty condom wrapper on the floor. In most of the dress code issues, my co-workers and I ask each other how they kids even got out of their house looking like they do. My parents were both very strict when it came to modesty, so I could have never gotten away with any of that stuff. I hear from students asking me all the time why they have to shave, cut their hair, not wear hats, earrings, etc. and they complain non-stop about the rules being so stupid. I understand that some things seem so petty, but in life, their are always rules/laws we don't like. Does that make them any less necessary to follow? I always tell them, "No matter how stupid you think the rules are, you still have to follow them." These conversations take place at least once a week if not once a day.

Such instances are not as troubling to me as some of the other things I have encountered while working here. In my former position, I actually had classes assigned in my computer lab, so I saw the same kids every other day until they completed the program. Through the four years in the classroom, I had many students warm up to me so much that they would really open up about their home life, friends, job, and even their love life. They would tell me about their drunken party experience the previous weekend, their plan for a repeat the next one, getting arrested, fighting with their parents, and how their boyfriend/girlfriend was cheating on them with their friend. I was really glad they were opening up to someone who would really listen, but it sure was hard not to just jump down their throats for their stupidity. Now that I have not quite had the same interactions with students these past two years, I seem to have forgotten that they still face the same dilemmas and tough choices. So, as I address students who are breaking school rules, I have to choose my words carefully. I can't possibly be that adult who is their friend all the time allowing them to do whatever they see fit, as long as they aren't hurting anyone, but I don't have to be that tough as nails authority figure who they want to avoid at all cost and who makes them hate getting out of bed to go to school each morning. I only hope when I interact with each and every student that I am a voice of guidance rather than condemnation, a voice of reason rather than threats, and most importantly, I hope that I can be an influence on their future choices. Thinking back, this could have made the difference for me in my teenage foolishness.