Corruption of American Children

[HG Pennypacker]

I don't know how I've gone this long without hearing this expression.

My ass off, i'm laughing.

 

[flexygrl]

It's all a matter of free will. Being a parent means that it's your job to instill morals and values into your children. In the end, it is them who make the choice.


My youngest sister is 16. She is extemely imature for her age. She has a boyfriend that she is hiding from my parents. She has come home with hickies and has been caught lying to my parents. Bottom line is she knows what is right and wrong. It's her life and she has made her own choices. There is nothing left to say to her except that she better hope she's made the right decisions in her life. The above case with my sister is minor to what some kids are doing today. But like I said, it's their choice. A good parent will try and shelter them for as long as possible, but let's not fool ourselves. Even if your house is locked down tighter than for knox, their friends homes may not be.

Now here's another theory. How bout birth order?!?

My best friend growing up was a huge drug addict. She had wonderful parents. Her older brother and sister grew up to be well respected adults with no problems at all. Last I saw her she was a waitress with a kid and no husband. She was the youngest child.

2nd really good friend, also did drugs. Last I heard she was working as a coat check girl in a club, never went to college. She got married opon learning she was pregnant. She lost the baby and then got a divorce. Her dad was a big pot smoker. Also the youngest. Her sister turned out okay, her brother is a pot head too.

My sisters the youngest and she's the only one that had any "issues" growing up.

I personally think that the youngest child and even only children sometimes feel a need to blame society for anything that happens to them. I also see them as very weak minded and therefor may be more impressionable when exposed to society.

anyone agree? Does my theory hold water?

 

[nvrbuffenuff_girl]

Now hears another theory. How bout birth order?!?

My sisters the youngest and she's the only one that had any "issues" growing up.

I personally think that the youngest child and even only children sometimes feel a need to blame society for anything that happens to them. I also see them as very weak minded and therefor may be more impressionable when exposed to society.

anyone agree? Does my theory hold water?

I disagree. I am the youngest in my family I was never the problem child. I have 7 siblings. My oldest sister was never a problem child. One of my other sisters was a problem child. She did everything she could possibly do to disobey my parents. She is the second born child. My brother the seventh child was a terror. He did drugs, got a girl pregnant, dropped out of highschool, ran away, almost killed my dad, he would beat me, etc. You name it and he did it. He was 16 yrs. old having sex with 18-21 yr old strippers. Had a child at 18 years old by one stripper. He has been in jail.
Now he is 22. Married and expecting a child in two months. He completed his GED and attended college. He has a great job and is a good husband and father. I think his wife has a huge role in his changes.

I am the youngest. I was scared to disobey my parents. The worse thing I did was lie to them about where I would be or what I was doing or whom with. I was studious. I graduated in the top 10% of my class. I completed a double major in three years. At 20 I attend graduate school. I never slept around, got into drugs or any such things. I wasn't sheltered from the negative things in society. I chose what to do what was right and not wrong.

My siblings and I all were parented in the same way. We each made our own decisions in life.

More than anything, I think that what parents instill in their children is only as good as what the child is willing to do with it. You can teach your children morals, values, manners, etc. but its THEIR choice as to what they do as contibuters in society.

You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.

 

[flexygrl]

I agree with you nvr about the parenting, but still not covinced about the birth order. You were a good kid. My sister, is a good kid. She just lies to my parents. Don't know if she is having sex. If so, it's only with one person.

 

[Imnotdutch]

I also think the relying 100% on "parenting" is a cop out.

Kids are exposed to this stuff regardless of the parents. The only way to prevent it is to lock them up in the basement.

I think there HAS to be some sort of psychological impact.

In fact... I even think things like EF has an impact on the younger kids that join &/or browse it.

Lets see........kids today:

Are aggressive.
See swearing as everyday language.
Have little respect for anybody.
Next to no respect for the property of others.
Resort to violence whent hey dont get what they want.
Have an attention span that is outstripped by the stupidest cockroach.
Want everything done for them.
Struggle to think for themselves.
Are totally incapable of persevering at something if it is even remotely difficult.

etc etc.

Some of that has got to be attributable to the shit they are exposed to on TV, in games etc.

 

[lucidblue]

180% Right on the money....

They MUST know the facts or they will be taken advantage of.
They MUST know the facts so they can understand the consequences of bad decisions.

But, They MUST also be sheltered partially from the overload of crap that they would be exposed to if parents did not at least try to limit what they see, hear, watch, play, say etc..

Believe me, even being somewhat sheltered, they will be exposed enough to the noise to get the above lessons.
But the input should come from the parents, trusted teachers or childhood friends with similar ethical mindsets.

I agree with you.

 

[atlantabiolab]

should we shelter them from a world that is very real?

or should we try to teach them that there is right and wrong, and help them understand that actions have consequences?

Great idea. Now look around and see how many actually do this.

Even parents who do instill right and wrong are competing with a world that exclaims that there is no "right and wrong". Children are torn between morality and immorality, -parents vs. the world.

 

[Cyclemein]

When you have 3 children in a family, for example, and 2 turn out straightlaced and one turns out to be a drug addict, let's say, I think the third one has some type of flaw in their character or makeup (maybe chemical?) that would have led that person down that road, regardless of the example set by the parents or the things they see on the net.

All 3 kids faced similar choices in life. 2 made the right choices. One didn't. My parents assisted as much as they could, with me, by keeping me out of tempting situations whenever they could. They couldn't shield me from everything. I just made the right choices.

Yup, i definetly feel genetic makeup is a huge portion of character. Some kids will make poor choices regardless of parenting.

 

[curling]

it's all about parenting.

You don't think society in general has a responsibility to their youth?

And freak monster you're right the media(music, movies, and the internet is the main cause of the problems we are having. Garbage in garbage out couldn't ring more true.

 

[C. Montgomery Burns]

I am considering having kids mainly so I can beat them after a hard day's work. Once they get to the annoying age of 3 I put them all up for adoption.

I also want to have enough kids to fill the quota of names I have established:

Homer, Machine, Shamus, Maverick, Extraneous Roots, Elmo, and Ndugu.