From this

to this. Isn't she lovely!

Today I am grateful :
* that I have been brought up properly by my parents
* that I have laid the ground work in my own child to ensure that who grows up to treat people with respect and decency
* that our family understands the inherent value of education and work and that James is learning that set of personal ethics too
* that my voice was working properly

But I am disheartened by
* individuals who metaphorically "hang themselves by their own rope"
* soul-less children who have been failed by parents and subsequently "the system" who think they have a right to do what they want, where they want, say what they want, be abusive, ignorant and personal (not children from our school I hasten to add).

I had the misfortune to have to challenge two individuals, aged around 12/13 years old, who are not part of our school, but who decided at 4.30 this afternoon that they were going to come onto our premises, give our caretaker a bit of abuse and be awkward little b*****ds just for the sake of it. The upshot being that I was called a couple of choice things - stupid old bag being the most polite of the bunch. However, they left the premises eventually, and I contacted our local bobby to ask for a home visit as they are known.

It just makes me sad, more than angry. I'm not bothered at being 'called' by individuals like that - I know I'm not old (stupid and bag - might actually be accurate) and I can play the "last word" game with teenagers till the cows come home. The bit that makes me sad is that unless a miracle happens, these two, and the two younger siblings who were playing with them, and countless others in this country, they are "lost children" - poor parenting, and support mechanisms that don't kick in till it is too late and the behaviour has been learned and left unchallenged mean that children like this grow quickly into disaffected young adults with a life in front of them, that at best will involve low paid, unskilled labour, bouncing from job to dole to job, but most likely will involve no job, drawing on the welfare state, crime, drugs, and a self perpetuating cycle which will involve a new generation arriving and learning the same weak moral code.

Thank goodness that it isn't yet endemic. Or is that unusual optimism on my part?

So, Mum (and Dad, and step parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and all the other people who influenced me in my formative years), please know that I value the love and the guidance that you gave to me as I grew up. I am a product of you all and I hope that I can pass on something positive to our next generation, through what I do at work and more importantly, what I give to James.

Here endeth the reflection upon the decline of moral standards in modern day Britain!