October 3, 2007 12:22pm

Since I'm on my peds rotation right now, I'm feeling the urge to bitch about some kiddie related things. I'm only on a lunch break at the moment, so I will have to continue when I get home later.

The doctor I'm working with wants to write a book called "How to Raise a Brat". A How-To on raising a child to be the most needy, annoying, misbehaved adult possible. He's only half joking about this. It almost seems as if some parents are actually striving to achieve this with their children.

Remember when you were a kid and got it into your head that everyone hated you because you weren't allowed to use the china to serve mud pies (assuming you had parents who were smart enough to not let you serve mud pies on the china and have limits on what is toy vs. not toy), and you'd tie some of your toys up in a blanket, attach it to a broom handle, and head off into the world on your own? I was about 6 the first time I got it into my head to run away. I made it to the end of the driveway. Nobody went chasing after me (though probably someone watched me from the window). If I told my mom I hated her and she was the worst mommy in the world, she didn't go running after me, begging for me to forgive her and telling me that she loves me oh so much.

I walked to the end of the driveway and sat. I sat until my butt got cold and then I came back inside. Then, I had to apologize to my mom for talking to her that way.

There is a bit of parenting advice here. Maybe a kid just needs some alone time. Just a bit of space to have a fit. Most importantly....the kid does not rule the show.

I see so many parents in the office who seem to just let their kids run the house. Then, the mom is "so overwhelmed!". Well, gee, I wonder why. You're letting a 4 year old boss you around.

I know some kinds have real behavior problems (more on that after lunch), but some kids just need some discipline in their home! Good grief! I know spanking is a hot topic for some people. But for pete's sake, nobody will fault you for yelling at your kid when they misbehave. There's a kid in the office who is tugging at my stethoscope around my neck and ripping the BP cuff off the wall, and mom is saying in a sweet voice, "Now, Billy, don't do that. Billy. Don't do that. Billy, mommy is asking nicely. Can you please not do that?"

Billy isn't paying a bit of attention. How about the "Mom Eye" and a big loud, "Billy! YOU QUIT DOING THAT RIGHT NOW. SIT DOWN IN THAT CHAIR AND BE QUIET WHILE THE DR EXAMINES YOUR SISTER."

The tone of one's voice is far more important than the words used. Though, in this case, billy is 8 years old and is old enough to understand the message of "Sit down and be quiet". The speaking softly to one's children deal just doesn't seem to be working for little Billy! Does mom think that Billy will just crumble to pieces and be doomed to a shrink's couch if she gives him a stern look and a yell?

And then I think some of these kids get labeled as "bad kids", or people think they have an attention problem....when it's really just that nobody has ever made them even try to sit still and behave. Kids aren't just born knowing how to behave. Well, sure, some are. Some are the perfect children from birth. But most need some rules and limits so they can learn how to behave.

If we have to go to war 20 years from now, I think we're doomed. There's going to be a whole generation of wimps who never had to deal with disappointment or consequences. They get a trophy for just showing up to the game and are so used to people cheering them on that as adults they don't get why nobody is cheering for them.

This is not an exaggeration. There was an article in the Wall Street Journal recently about companies having problems with new, young employees. They expect to be rewarded for everything they do. One young man came to work every day on time for a year. He wanted to know why he wasn't given some special recognition for that.

Oy!

Okay, back to my social research.....