I was sitting in a music class; we had been assigned to write a song, and so the kids had been grouped off to brainstorm. My students and I sat discussing what they liked and didn’t like in life with lots of prompting from me while another group of students sat to our left and the music teacher sat with another group of student’s down the back of the class.
This group of students to our left was a mix of boys and girls and being year nine the age group was around 14 years, the group approximately 15 students in size with a good combination of what I call rat bagginess laughed and chatted a little more than they brainstormed.
“I hate it when I ask my mum something, and ten minutes later she still hasn’t answered me because she is on her phone,” said a girl with a super slick hair cut. “It happens all the time,” another said while another agreed and added to the gripe with “my mum is always on her phone SCROLLING, and when I interrupt her she goes rife, now I don’t even bother”.” Yeah” they all said at different times. “Mine are always on their phone usually on Facebook,” said another a little too loudly wanting to be heard. They all giggled.
Being so guilty of this and hearing it come from a bunch of kids just’ talking’, I slightly uncomfortably eavesdropped a little harder.
“I also hate it when I ask my parent’s something, and they just say NO,” said one, with a dark haired boy adding “or they say no and when you ask why they reply with because I’m the parent or because I said so”.
“I know I mean we are old enough to be told why,” said one girl quietly.
Again guilty.
I looked at my student and then turned back to the kids discussing their parents because naturally it had captured my attention but their last ‘complaint’ before the conversation drifted off to Kanye West was how they hate being late. Or their parents being late but the parents being annoyed at them despite it being the parent’s faults. I can be sitting in the car waiting for my mum and dad, we all ready to go but still it’s my fault said a girl with long blonde hair. We are always because my parents are always on their phone said a rounded face girl matter of factly.
I smiled a looked down at my feet, guilty again I thought.
I went back to the staff room and told my colleagues.
“Oh my, gosh, so guilty”” they said.
And as I write this my son is waiting for me in the car, but I’m hurrying to do the best I can to ensure everyone’s cups are full.
xx Deb.
I can so see that I’m guilty of this at times and are now making a daily effort not too xx