"You need to learn some manners!"

[GoddessOfGuinness]

My 7 year old is in a music and art class with 5 other homeschooled boys. One of the boys is pretty annoying with regard to speaking at inappropriate times, "improving" the other kids' artwork, and being generally rude.

Today he was badgering my son and another boy because they have long hair, saying, "You must be a girl, because boys don't have long hair or braids."

As we were leaving, my son said to the heckler, whose mom was walking with him, "You need to learn some manners!" My jaw about fell off. Looks like we're making some headway with his assertiveness issues.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

1. Good!

[rockymountaindem]

2. Obviously the problem is homeschooling

If you would just socialize them more, this sort of thing wouldn't happen and they'd be well adjusted like all the perfect little kiddies in public school.

:sarcasm: times two

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. LOL

One of the adavntages to homeschooling him (there were many that influenced our decision) was that he felt overwhelmed by classmates...even though his kindergarten only had 12 kids in it. He'd clam up, not participate, cry, you name it. I didn't want his academics to suffer because he had problems socializing. So we teach him the basics at home, and give him all sorts of opportunities for team sports, art, music, and drama classes.

I'm so pleased he's comfortable enough now to give a heckler grief.

[rockymountaindem]

8. That's totally misguided

You should encourage him to be a man and get in fights! I mean, if we were all over-sensitive quitters we could be speaking any number of different and inferior languages right now!

:sarcasm: (I doubt the tag was necessary, but cya tactics are never a bad idea on DU :) )

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. That's one of my

DU taboo topics that I can't resist getting involved in... :toast:

[bliss_eternal]

3. Good for him--

for being assertive and for taking up for himself with that rude kid.

I'm astounded that such a large segment of kids these days have such inappropriate social skills. When I see kids that are well behaved, polite and kind--I always compliment the parent that I see with them.

I'll never understand how some kids turn into bullies and character assasins with no social skills and others don't.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

6. Y'know, I'm not all that astounded...

I grew up around a lot of rude kids. Many of them had rude parents. We watch TV shows that either glorify rude behavior or make people laugh at it. I'm not sure what traffic is like in your area; but driving the DC Beltway is like attending an exhibition of the nation's rudest.

Hell, we even tolerate the rude SOB in the White House. :grr:

What I wonder is, can someone who has been raised to be rude teach themselves to be more considerate? I'd like to think so...

[bliss_eternal]

10. I was raised with a rude person--

in some respects. I like to think I'm pretty considerate. I know my dh's parents were rude (I Just have to look at his brothers to know this)... he's incredibly kind and considerate in spite of his upbringing.

In some cases, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree--in others I'm not sure what kicks in--but I guess that would say there is hope. LOL!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. If we could just figure out what "kicks in"

and hand it around generously!

[NMMNG]

4. Good for him

Maybe the other child, in addition to learning some manners, needs to get a reality check on gender roles and hairstyles. There are plenty of boys with long hair and braids.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. The teacher pointed that out to him...

Fortunately.

She's a good 'un. :)