Lessons For Our Children

It’s really a shame when you think about some of the challenges we are facing as a society with our youth. I’m not sure when we started to go wrong with our youth but the level of violence I see occurring amongst them is disheartening. Take, the recent story of the gang rape of a 15-year old girl in California outside a homecoming party. From the person she thought was her friend taking her to be raped to witnesses seeing the crime and refusing to help, I must admit I’m sometimes amazed by the pure depravity I see in some of the kids today.

I wonder when they are engaged in some of the bad behavior do they ever think what if this were my sister, mother, aunt or daughter. I suspect not or else a lot of the nonsense wouldn’t occur. In this case, the lack of respect and value for women is really sad. As parents, my husband and I are doing all we can to instill not only respect for women but also compassion for their fellow man. No matter how hard it is or how difficult they have become. All of the crime we are witnessing with our youth is a clear indicator our youth are troubled and we need to make them a priority.

As a nation and parents, we simply have to do more to assist our youth. We need to surround them with better role models and more community and after school programs that provide them constructive rather than destructive activities to get involved in. As parents, whether single or married, we simply have to parent. It does take a village to raise a child but we are the elders of that village home and we are the first line of defense for rearing our children. Other institutions are there to assist us and not take over our responsibility.

As a mom, I’m doing all I can to help my sons understand the following:

1. Treat others like you want to be treated

2. What comes around goes around

3. The Value of Another Person’s life is of paramount importance

4. Have Compassion for your fellow man

5. Respect Women and Yourself

These are simple and basic values we were taught when I was growing up. Times may have changed but the foundation and the veracity of those lessons haven’t.

What do you think are the values we need to instill in our youth?