The Untended Garden

As I listen to parents complain that their children are scrubs - I have to remind them that it is largely their own fault.

Every kid is a genius until about the fifth grade.
Most parents can assist their kids with their homework at the elementary school level - it is only after the child's classes become too difficult for a parent to understand that a child becomes 'stupid'.
Even if a parent once knew the material, without use, most information is forgotten.
The teachers at my cousin's school were shocked that I asked to buy the same text books from the classes my cousins were taking.
When I explained that I needed them to review the material so I could better tutor my cousins with their homework the principal loaned me the teacher's versions at no cost.

ed says, "Birds don't teach their chicks to fly by chirping at them.".
This is true.
Most parents fail to take the time to teach their children anything.
Most just tell their children instead.
Most set rules but few follow through with consequences.
Most reward their children for their own shortcomings as parents.
But this is not love - this is just lazy.

Most bad kids come from bad parents.
Most bad parents don't tend to their children.
If one fails to tend to his garden and it fails to produce fruit but instead becomes overgrown with weeds - who is at fault?
Is it not the fault of the parent for failing to tend to the true needs of his child?
"My son (or daughter) ain't shit!", is a common complaint from many parents.
But if the seeds to being a scrub were all that were planted and nurtured by the parent - how can they be mad that the children turned out to be anything else?