Linda Skugge: We are bringing up a generation of monsters

Translation: Ruby Harrold-Claesson, attorney at law

From Ikeas new catalogue: Nyhammar An adult sofa equipped with a book case in practical height for the small children. Here there is extra space for both complicated fish recipes and colourful stuffed toys.

Löv I LÖV you. A lamp that resembles and acts like a cuddly soft animal.

Pösig "Fluffy". Not only children love gigantic, inflatable strawberry tablets, a soft and comfortable foot-rest. They also come in liquorice taste, sorry, with black covering.

Lustig "Funny" There are small, soft cushions growing in your living room.

Oh, well hell, what is IKEA up to?

Hoppig "Jumpy" is the name of the bright red sofa that can be used as a trampoline.

No thank you, we don't want it. No, our furniture will not be any damned trampoline or toys. A piece of furniture is no toy and besides, the children have their own rooms to jump around and play in.

 
I am beginning to be so tired of always putting children in everyone's focal point. Adult women and men do absolutely everything for their children. They run around like mad people in the parks on weekends and they only take part in activities that are arranged for children. And, if the children start screaming they get full attention and they are given everything they point at and everyone talks child language.

I am so tired of being some sort of play-leader and I am so tired of kids who never obey. What is the matter with today's children? If there are several children in my home they ALWAYS choose to play in my study. They just carry all the toys from the children's room into my study and they refuse to leave. They just can't take no for an answer. Some kid has even hit me when I tried to remove him bodily. And others have grabbed on to some piece of furniture so that I have had to force open the kids fingers to get it out of there. They have a playroom and that is where they are to play. No one plays in my study, full stop.

We are in the process of bringing up a generation of monsters. As if spoilt kids today (or when I myself was a spoilt kid) were not already monsters. What are our children going to be like? Totally out of control?

First they go to the day-care centres with groups of children that are much too big, then they start school where there are hardly any teachers, where the teachers are afraid of the children and dare not impose their will for fear that the children will telephone Bris the organisation for children's rights in the society. And on top of that we have a bunch of softy parents who do not teach their children how to behave.

This is not working anymore.

Adults have to take care of their children, they have to cook food, put them to bed, wash them and their clothes, educate, guide, give warmth, love, consideration, set limits, support and encourage them. Adults should not play! We are no damned nannies.

I am so tired of if you are Annika then I am Pippi. That is over and done with. I can not play. I alone, ok I am Annika and so, yes what, what should I say, what should I do? I just do not have anything more to add to that game.

I am grateful for the old times. Adults were allowed to be authorities and children were children. There was better order then. Now people are so crazy that they allow their children to make all the decisions in the family. And their children are so fantastic that you have to say ooh and aah not only for the strange drawings that the kid has made but also for the kids damned poop.

What is the matter with the child table? Please.



The children are embarrassing Sweden
By Roger Lord

 

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