Step up to the plate parents - your kids need you!

Three times now, in quick succession, I've seen examples where a bit of parental "guidance" shall we say, could go a long way.

I was at a paid-for chess tournament last weekend.  My grade is not particularly high, but nonetheless, the participants and I had travelled to the event, paid to enter and would reasonably expect to partake in conditions that are conducive to playing chess.  There were players in the same room who have grades of 200+, which is a seriously good standard.  Next to my table was a young lad of about 8, tapping away at the table with a chess piece.  This is in the middle of a "rapid-play" game where you are playing against the clock.  He looked at me, staring straight in my eyes, as I requested he stop; while continuing to tap incessantly on the table.  An arbiter comes over, appeals to him to stop.  Another arbiter comes over and makes a request.  "Where are his bloody parents?!" I think as my clock continues to tick down.  Before anyone starts calling me a sanctimonious old sod, the same youngster was heard in a break of play mischievously saying to a friend how much he would like to play an adult next.  "I bet you would sunshine".  You won't find me attempting to prevent our youngsters from playing chess competitively, the winner of our section was an 8-year-old lad with fabulous potential.

I then offer an example of a 14-year-old who has now twice exploded into a rage on the footy pitch, swinging arms, shouting at opponents to "Fuck off!", in front of families with youngsters standing on the sidelines.  On both occasions, he walks off the pitch, only to return a few minutes later.  What on earth are the referee, coach and his parents thinking?  

And then we have pupils who exude worrying misanthropy whereupon any feedback a driving instructor is giving to driving ability, learning, or road safety techniques is responded with complete disdain.  Where are the parents?  Is it not possible to park the "self-entitlement" mantra to one side for a moment, and introduce an offering of:  "you need to listen to the professional darling"? Is neither parent considering the future safety of their young one?

I wonder if it is now beyond a parent to attempt to stem the indefatigable demands of an entitled child.  I can see that Greta is doing a great job at telling the whole world how appalling it is treating our next generation, but is there any point when parents place any expectations of behaviour on their youngsters?  Imperious parenting is one thing, but a lack of solicitude towards children is deeply worrying.  When youngsters take driving tests too soon, the consequences are profound.