"Am I Asking Too Much?"

*Please read the title of this blog entry outload with a very pleading voice*

For a few split seconds over the past few weeks I find myself in doubt about whether I'm asking too much of the world as far as my expectations go in this life. We all have...expectations that is. I'm just wondering if mine are a bit too high. I do understand there are reasonable and completely unrealistic expectations out there. I really do not think I fall into the latter category though when I come across different situations, I start to wonder.

Example: Tonight I headed to our Walmart in the neighboring city. I admire this city with how supportive they are of their schools, so much that if we were to stay here (which we are NOT) I would seriously consider moving there to send Michael to that high school. It's Dawgs this and Dawgs that, pretty cool. Well tonight the Band was there doing a rock-a-thon to raise money to go to Disney. Pretty cool, I wanted to do that in high school. So I hustle inside and do my shopping and as I walk out, I start to head in the direction of the bake sale to offer my donation. I remember being a band kid with big dreams, I'm all about supporting that dream (just please don't knock on my door and ask me too..that's a whole other blog entry, lol). Well as I'm walking over there, one of the band kids approaches me and goes into his spill about the rock-a-thon and I say, yup, I'm about to go and donate, I have a few dollars in my hand. He looks at my cart and says...looks like you can afford more than two dollars! Excuse me? If I EVER found out one of my children said that to someone, it would be UGLY! I just looked at him and said, well, you may be right, but what I do know is that I am now going to keep my money (which was more than $2 btw) and go on my merry way. If he had said it in a joking way, I would have let it slide but he was serious as he was checking out my grocery cart. What nerve!

What's sad is I run into so many kids who just don't have manners, who are rude and disrespectful. I am not saying my kids are perfect, because they are far from it, but I did teach them manners. I come across kids who talk me to like I owe them something. I ask kids things and get backtalk and snide comments in return. I do realize this is different parenting styles, but when did teaching respect go out the window?

I've been on playgrounds or other public places and told my kids it's time to go or not to do something and had kids I've never met, ask me WHY? Hey kid, last time I checked, I was the adult and I don't owe kids an explanation. I remember I was helping out at school and I told Neil to come over to me and this other kid was like, why, he doesn't have to do this, blah, blah, blah. Uhm, yeah, he does, he belongs to me and I'm the boss. There are just things that I expect and honestly don't expect. I don't expect to be questioned when I tell my kids to do something. I do expect them to follow my requests. All three of my kids are of the age that they understand when I tell them, sit there. I get that they are still young enough that there will be times that I will have to teach them...life is about learning, but there are things that they have been taught and I expect them to put what they know into action.

I wondered the other night if maybe I'm expecting too much...but really I don't think I am. We were in the grocery store the other night and two different people commented on how nice and respectful my boys were. Yay! I guess I must be doing something right!!!

There are so many other areas I could go into about expectation, but here's the thing, I'm not asking the world...heck, I'm not asking to end the war and send my husband back to us. I'm asking for a please or thank you every now and again. Maybe, someone to hold the door open when they see you struggling. How about just brief eye contact when I'm talking to you instead of being glued to the gameboy in your hand. Are we past the days of manners and etiquette?

Maybe, just maybe, I am asking too much.