Thinking of Others

I need to get up on my soap box on this one, folks. I have about had it with the way people have become completely self focused. I am done with people thinking the "system" doesn't apply to them. I am at my wits end watching everyone not follow the clear rules stated because they think they can bend the rules for themselves.

It seems as if American society has become enveloped in ourselves. And I want to say right here, I am just as guilty at this as the next person, which is probably the reason it irritates me so much.

My breaking point lately on this subject has been, of all places, in my son's school drop-off and pick-up lines. My youngest son, Will, is in pre-kindergarten this year. He goes to school from 7:55 a.m. (when school starts for everyone) and stays what is classified as a half day, so I pick him up at 10:25 a.m.

This isn't my first pre-k line experience. My older son was in the afternoon pre-k, too, so I learned how the system works a few years ago. The pre-k program was still sure to send home information with each parent about the drop-off and pick-up procedures. In fact, the school has informed EVERY family what the pick-up and drop-off procedures are. They are:

- only pre-k and kindergarten students may be picked up or dropped off in the circle in the front of the school. All others are pick up and drop off at the gym entrance. This is so the buses can pick up students in the front circle.

- when you are picking up and dropping off your students, stay in your car. This makes for a much faster transition.

There are also some unspoken rules that are common courtesy, such as take turns, no cutting, wait in line in the order you are in.

So when ALL of these rules are broken, it makes me frustrated. It is a symptom of where we are in society.

The front circle is two car widths, which provides plenty of space of pick ups and drop offs on the right side and through traffic on the left side. Instead, what is happening is against the protocol AND dangerous. Parents are stopping in the through lane while their children walk in between cars. And some of those cars are backing up, or pulling forward. I saw one parent stop in the through lane and then get out of his car to go in the building. Luckily, a teacher saw it to and sent him back to his car.

There are kids of all ages being dropped off in the pre-k and kindergarten line. I know there are some special circumstances with some of those kiddos, whether they have a disability or special permission or something. But others are just lazy.

I waited this morning 5 minutes behind a bus to drop off Will in the appropriate place. Cars pulled around me and cut off the bus. The bus tried for more than two minutes - with its blinker on - to get back into the through traffic line, but kept getting cut off by eager parents.

When I pick up kiddos, many, if not most of the parents get out of their cars to either buckle their own child in or to wait for their kids as they get out of class. I keep hoping as the year progresses this will stop. The pick-up procedures each parent got state to stay in your cars to help the line move quickly. The teachers will walk the children to the car and buckle them in. A 2-minute process takes at least 10 each day because of this right here. I do not have an issue with parents getting out of their cars to greet their kids, but if you do, don't park in the line! Park somewhere else! I had to ask two drivers to move cars parked in the through line one day so I could get my boys to the dentist on time. One of the parents wasn't even a pre-k parent but somewhere inside the building.

This is the problem: each of those people think to themselves, I'm sure, "Well, it's not THAT big of deal. I mean, I am in a hurry, this will just take a minute, and it's going to be fine." If it were just one person with that attitude, it WOULD be fine! But when everyone thinks they can be the exception to the rule, what we end up with is exactly what we have: a society filled with people who are only thinking of their own needs. Their is proof of this everywhere we look:

* Parents trying to excuse their children from homework because of athletic practices or games, or other pre-planned events.

* Parents switching around their children's teachers every year because they didn't get who they wanted.

* People who refuse to use their blinkers because they don't care if anyone knows they are turning left or not. They know, so what else matters?

* Children and adults who are taught that it is OK to cheat when they are not held fully responsible for their actions by claiming ignorance. It is the fault of the people who don't hold these cheaters accountable because it makes their own lives more difficult.

* People who park where they aren't supposed to, drive where they aren't supposed to, use their cell phones when they aren't supposed to, turn in things late, etc. Everyone has an excuse.

* People who embrace the mentality of fear and prevent their children or other important people in their lives whose opinions differ from their own. How will a child ever learn what they believe if all they hear has been filtered, sheltered, guided and watered down. Especially parents have a responsibility to teach their children right and wrong. And to learn wrong, you have to see it sometimes to really understand what it is.

* Coaches who teach their players to cheat, foul, cut corners or trash talk. This does absolutely nothing productive for anyone. These are the same people who don't appropriately discipline the discipline problems on their teams and it results in problems for everyone.

And my list could go on and on. I know what I have addressed might make you angry. And I think that is ok. We all are entitled to our opinions. But I challenge you, as I have challenged myself, to think about this topic personally. Where have you become self focused? For me, one of the ways is feeding my family dinner. I have gotten in the habit of only fixing what I like or not fixing anything at all if I am not in the mood.

I truly believe that if we all thought of others more, even just a little bit more, this world would be such a better place. There would be fewer people trying to beat the system and instead trying to help the system.

How can thinking of someone else today make a difference in your life and their life? How can thinking of someone else speak to your own family? How can thinking of someone else change the world?