Dear World

Dear World,

Yesterday my neighbor's 4-year-old granddaughter came by

She stood on the sidewalk when I was at the car

She said "Hey Old Lady, Old Lady" are they here?

She was asking about my grandchildren and I shook my head no

I would never have even considered talking to an adult that way

You have changed World

My family members who work in education and mental health

Tell me that children talk back and curse

That never used to be

If I had corrected that child her grandmother

May have come looking for a fight

Or she might have pulled out a gun

Two days ago a few miles away someone shot a woman

And her 7-year-old twin sons over a bicycle

Children are running the schools instead of adults

Children are allowed to make major life decisions

Before they are 18 and that did not use to be

Dear World, you are not a happy place anymore

When little kids disrespect adults and teachers

lose their jobs for administering discipline

Now children shoot teachers because

no one can tell them right from wrong

What is going to become of us all?

Sincerely,

Cheryl E Preston