The Facts Of Life!

It's not uncommon to encounter people who question where exactly the youth of this society are heading. Honestly, it's an age old dilemma, my parents wondered about my generation, and theirs about them. But there is a bit of a difference between now and the past. You see my parents enjoyed a stable family unit where divorce was a taboo and if your parents separated it was unusual. My generation the divorce problem became more prevalent, yet was not a normal event, something seen as an anomaly. Today's generation not only is divorce expected, a single parent family is the norm as most don't even take the time to generate the paperwork to get a marriage certificate. So what is the effect on the children?

A child has a tremendous respect and love for their mother and father, and dearly wants to please them. They have a fear or an anxiety of offending the one they love, not because of torture or punishment, but rather because they are afraid of displeasing the one who is, in that child's world the source of security and love. So consequently, if there is an imbalance of what the child relies upon for security by a dysfunctional parenting structure, would it be a stretch to expect rebellion?

Let's add top that formula some additional input that wasn't common is generations before. Single parents trying to compensate and allowing a lax discipline, or worse yet disparaging the other parent while venting their displeasure with a lack of support both financially and time wise. Excessive gift giving or privileges again to replace the missing love of an absent parent. Or an abandonment of quality time because a one parent home has income needs that need to be met.

The environment has changed that children are raised in, and not for the better in too many cases. It follows that the moral decline of this next generation will ensue. Not only is the home life in shambles, there is no spiritual guidance to set a true north on the child's moral compass. This is not a formula for success, but as bleak as this picture is painted, it's not difficult to turn the tide. We simply need to influence this dysfunction back on a path of family values. That has to be made more attractive to the masses than the current norm of a broken home. We need to highlight the value of a two parent system, and expose the woes of going it alone. Selfish attitudes need to be replaced with ones of sharing. Is it not better that three people all share a loving relationship than two, isn't four or five better yet? The loneliness of being a single parent needs to be exposed for the hardship it is. When shown all the options, don't we usually make the right choices?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill