Discuss ways children are conditioned to follow social norms today.....?

[Table2253]

Discuss the ways in which children are conditioned to follow social norms today. List several behaviors that are "desirable" and "undesirable." Give examples of how these ideas are reinforced by parents, teachers, the media, etc. Are there common slogans that reinforce these ideas? Will you enforce them with your own children? Why or why not?
Thanks for any ideas!

[Lois L]

Yes, they do. In class, I see the results of rude parents who are raising rude children. As a teacher, I am apalled by the lack of discipline in our Western world. We are raising boys and girls that talk back to teachers because they know fully well their rights. The society is from broken families because both mom and dad OFTEN do not want to solve their issues on housework and budget. Dads want to keep going out with the boys, moms overspend on clothes. The ones who pay are the children who have a diet that is inclined to bad behavior in class and outside with the over indulgence of junk food like candies, chocolate and pizzas. The social norms are not viable and they are hurting the children. There should be rules that make it possible for teachers to get back the discipline we had in the sixites, seventies and eighties.

[Optimumsententia]

First off I would make my kid(s), if and when I ever have kids, aware of the existence of social norms. This way my kids are able to distinguish what social norms are, and decide when they wish to follow them, or ignore them. Some I would emphasize that they follow, such as manners.

In the earlier years of school kids are taught what social norms to follow. These can include when a teacher tells a kid that it is not OK to be late, or call people rude names.

Parents usually enforce things such as manners and good work ethic. All of these so far sound good, but there can also be social norms which restrict your free will, such as wearing normal clean clothes. Sometimes people can get a good laugh out of people breaking social norms.

All and all social norms are a good thing to teach kids, though it should not be a strict book of rules kids have to follow. Also, the distinction should be made between breaking norms such as attire in order to be funny, and manners which can be just rude if you ignore them