The problem is apparent. A visit to the local supermarket, restaurant or church exposes innocent bystanders to obnoxious, rude and ill-mannered expos‚. No I am not talking about a night of professional wrestling; I’m talking about unruly children who have been allowed by their parents to take over the world. Don’t blame the child, the problem is a parent.

On two separate occasions within the last week, I watched as several parents allowed their children to literally climb walls, run their snotty noses down windows and make finger paintings in the slime, only to be followed by man-size belching.

Who is a fault here? At first it is easy to be disgusted with the little varmint acting like a monkey let out of his cage. Is it the monkey’s fault that someone let him out, or is it the zookeeper’s?

Monkeys will be monkeys, and kids will be kids, but it is time for parents to be parents.

Sure, schedules are as busy as ever and parents are doing all they can to make ends meet, but neither is an excuse for checking out on taming the tiger that lives within every child. What should we expect from kids who are left to manage their behavior? Too many parents have checked out on their primary responsibility, and are allowing their children to rule the roost and ruin it for the rest of us.

Simply put, it is lazy and selfish. Rather than provide the consistent direction and effort that is required to raise a well-mannered child, many parents just simply ignore the behavior of their children and sit like zombies as disrespectful, loud and self-centered children scream to be disciplined.

The Lord says He disciplines those He loves. The same is true for parents and their children. If you really love your children, do them a favor and serve them by applying loving discipline to their lives. Child-centered parenting doesn’t work.

Surprise! Parenting is hard work. It is not fair to the children or the rest of the world to allow little yard apes to rule the jungle.

Parents have to get engaged with their child’s discipline before the world becomes nothing more than a self-centered, back-talking, slime-covered, gas-spewing mess. The problem is apparent. The problem is a parent.