More Sunday Perspective

• Perspective: Meriting Attention
• Phil Lewis: Coming to grips with the global economic meltdown
• Jeff Lytle: Where should we draw the line on letters? You tell us

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The quest for control.

Bad manners.

Dragging children into it.

Adults behaving badly.

What are we describing?

The 18 Southwest Florida families who actually came forward to audition for roles in TV’s “Supernanny” reality series? In doing so they admitted failure at parental control and household decorum — and they wanted the whole world to know. As part of the audition last weekend at Gulf Coast Town Center the families demonstrated their dysfunction while waiting in line for talent scouts.

Or are we describing the situation with soccer in Bonita Springs, where competition between adult and youth leagues for limited playing space has erupted into boorish behavior, insults, jealousy over concession proceeds and even accusations of fisticuffs?

Actually, we’re describing both situations.

Both show wholesale adult lack of respect and conflict resolution.

The only difference is the parents in the “Supernanny’’ case take laziness, shamelessness and the search for excitement and their 15 minutes of fame to a much lower level.

It is important to step back and think about what we’ve learned from soccer and “Supernanny,’’ and try to move on and do better. All of us deserve that, especially our kids.