Parents know the lessons of childhood are very often tough to teach.  Saying ‘no’ to a little one who wants a toy or candy at that very second can be heartbreaking.  As a parent however, these tough times are the lessons that help shape the character of our children.  No, is not necessarily a bad thing and with it comes the lesson of appreciation and things being ‘special’.  We try to teach manners, discipline, self-sufficiency, good work ethics and responsibility.  We want our children to grow up respectful, accountable and capable of wonderful things.    ‘You can be anything you want to be’ is something parents tell children  all over the country every day.  We teach our children that being part of the family, team or community is everyone’s responsibility and getting along, being kind to one another and the needs of the individual are sometimes put aside for the benefit of all. Teaching children however, is tough.  The toughest job in the world,  it is an ongoing process with outside influences many times going against the lessons we hope to instill.   We devote our lives to our children and through our parenting the next generation is raised and with it all the values taught by us the parents.  So I ask these questions, what happened to the values, responsibility and respect of the current  generation?  We have politicians, media personalities and labor leaders who don’t care about the majority.  What happened to respectfully disagreeing with others and compromise?  What happened to being civilized and putting the greater good in front of  personal agendas?  What happened to meaningful debate and common goals for the benefit of the majority rather than an influential minority?  If children decided they did not want to take a test,  or do something and disappeared in order to not deal with it they would be punished, yet in Wisconsin these individuals are elected officials.  Being an elected official is not easy yet when the going gets tough their are some who have bolted.  What has happened to common sense and being accountable?  The legislators who have fled town in order to not deal with the issues at hand should be removed from office.  Behaving like children throwing a temper tantrum just to avoid not getting their own way, there are those who think their behavior is admirable.   However, if our own children ‘hid’ in response to something we needed them to do, would we believe it was admirable or would we punish them for being so selfish?