Pondering...the meaning of respect.

There are days when I wonder when the world changed. I work with teenagers and I know there are things they experience I never had to. My life began with a very solid foundation. There were rules and expectations, and there were consequences when I didn't meet those expectations. Tonight I sit here and ponder the path my life has taken, and I wonder do I expect too much from my students?

Is it too much to expect them to be kind, considerate, understanding? I know that patience is difficult. I struggle with it myself sometimes. Is sitting still and staying focused too much to ask? I wonder if the technological world we've created has increased the instances of ADD and ADHD, or have we failed to teach children how to cope with overwhelming stimuli. Part of me thinks its more the latter. I can remember as a child being expected to finish a meal before being able to play. The other day I was at a local fast food restaurant (yes, I know it's not healthy) and this father walked in with three young children, probably 2-7. The kids made a beeline for the playground, and then didn't want to eat when the food was ready.

Is it too much to expect a certain level of courtesy? Or that offensive language doesn't belong in my classroom? When did it become acceptable for a fifteen year old to call me, her teacher, a rather vulgar name?

I know that all children aren't rude, or disrespectful. I'm even willing to bet that most of my students don't behave this way all the time. I just wonder if we, as a society, have failed them and one day when we need them to step to the plate, what kind of reaction will we get.