What Happened to Respecting Your Elders

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Want to know why there is a lack of respect for the elderly, parents, and grandparents? Because the lifestyles of each have become more triflin, that’s why. Scenes of unappreciation and ungratefulness during the holidays by kids as young as four were plastered on social media to call attention to the disrespect flowing through society now.

Parents fussing and cussing about their grown kids and the disrespect they receive, putting family dysfunction on display and how they have cut off communications. How mothers are not talking to daughters and not seeing their grandkids. How sons have accosted fathers ready to bang flooded videos platforms, and videos of police officers treating elderly people like rag dolls roll from police body cam footage.

It is a generational thing mostly. How we raise our children and the trends seeping through self-published eBooks and coaching videos from barely certified podcasters have indoctrinated people to try anything to get their kids under control. But the most basic of parenting skills have been abandoned by society, which is why we see such a breakdown of family unity and love.

The basics such as self-respect and respect for the child itself is another. Many parents are so self-absorbed that they have not hardened rules of their own on how to raise their children. They are materialistic, judgmental, attention-seeking adolescent adults themselves who have no self-control, so their kids carry this mentality in their minds and souls and emulate the same lifestyle.

Make no mistake, it is the parents’ jobs to parent correctly if they want respect from their kids. You cannot talk down to, berate, cuss out, or undermine your child’s intelligence or self-esteem. If you do this while they are young, expect disrespect in the future. Fortunately, there are many kids who see their parent’s behavior and vow to themselves they will never become like them and change course quickly. Blessed be those kids.

You cannot overly spoil your child with material things or they will not appreciate the value of what they have or what you have given them. They must be taught to earn their keep. More often than not, materialistic parents will have ungrateful kids who feel entitled. They feel if you have the good things of life, they should have it also and will resent you if you keep those things from them. If you get most things illegally or under the table, expect the same from them.

The scripture says: “CHILDREN, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4.

Without acknowledging God the Father, families will fall prey to the spirits of the world such as greed, hate, violence, sexuality, drunkenness and many other lusts of the flesh and pride of life. Families need love, unity, peace, kindness and to understand that you cannot treat people like crap unless it comes back on yourself.

Black parents, especially, must teach their children that life does not come easy to Black families and that they must live honestly and mind their business. Teach them that their color and culture matter and must be protected because this country operates on color and class, not merit or character. The truth must be taught and the Hollywood and sports fantasies must cease. Families will need to bind themselves closer instead of dividing and becoming weak.