What are we teaching our kids?
Time to get on my soapbox now. A subject that has been on my heart for a very long time is the lack of respect I see in young people today. I firmly believe that a lot of the problems in our society today stems from this one issue.
Parents send their kids to school in hopes that the teacher will teach them, then the teachers can’t teach them because the parents haven’t taught them basic respect - respect for others, respect for elders, respect for other peoples’ things, etc. Case in point: our neighborhood has been trying to get one of our major roads fixed. It used to be an old country road, but now a well traveled road thanks to new houses and a brand new high school opening in the fall. This road hasn’t been updated in about twenty years. One of our friends was in a major accident on this road due to teens racing. She tried to avoid them from getting hit head on and flipped her car when she hit the ditch on the side of the road. One of the teens was apprehended and arrested. Our friend says that she read the arrest affidavit and guess what? The teen doesn’t care that she almost died, or that she will have ongoing health problems because of it, or that her car was destroyed. He is not remorseful whatsoever. Lack of respect. He has no respect for life, his or anyone else’s.
Our pastor gave a wonderful Father’s Day speech about fathers being a shining example for their sons. This not only applies to just fathers, but all parents. What are we showing our kids today? When I first heard about the teen above, my first thought was, “That’s a reflection on the parents.” I know there are some people that no matter what their parents do, they will still behave in such manner, but can you imagine how much better our society would be if more parents stepped up to the plate and took the time to educate their children in basic moral values and don’t leave it up to a society, that is already questionable at best, to do it for them?
Just maybe, we wouldn’t have guns in school, or fight clubs if people valued life more. Just maybe, we wouldn’t have so my home breakins and carjackings if people valued other people’s property more. I could go on and on.
I heard a story yesterday about a woman who’s car broke down on the side of the road. My friend’s dad stopped to help her. She was terrified of getting help for fear that she might be attacked or something. He was finally able to convince her that he would do her no harm by telling her to crack her window just a little bit and slid his driver’s license in to her. He told her to call a friend and give him/her his information off the license in case something happens to her. She stayed in the car while he helped her. What is happening to our world- where there is a fear of helping others and a fear of being helped because of all of the disrespectful things happening in it?
Just my two cents worth today. Take it or leave it, but think about it. What are you teaching your kids?