Apr 18, 2007 9:50:27 AM cite

I agree with the above 19 year old who has, in a nutshell, described today's parents who are too busy and too wrapped up in self to raise their children. They are headed for an all around disaster. My wife and I, 26 years ago, when we had just finished our college educations with Masters degrees were similarly headed for the "golden life." We were ready to dedicate ourselves to work, career, buying a house, car and work, work and more work- until my wife announced that she was expecting. That changed everything. We began to pray together as we were really scared about bringing another human being into this world. Our prayers yielded many answers. One answer was that my wife decided to stay home after the birth of our daughter and be the only caregiver (a lot of kids were being kidnapped and abused at the time in California). She, a professional librarian with a promising career at stake, forsook everything and stayed home with our child and cared for our home for the next 25 years. We homeschooled our daughter after seeing the horrendous job the school system was doing on our kids, and it worked out just fine. Our daughter is well adjusted today, married to a wonderful, well brought up young man. She is employed in a well paying corporate position and they are both saving for their first home. She loves herself, her husband and her parents who she frequently calls and chats with and turns to for advice. She has never turned to drugs, alcohol or really destructive behaviour. The youth are correct in feeling abandoned today, but, as you can see there is an answer in self sacrifice. In the long run you, as parents are doing yourselves a big favour and to society.

by Angoongun

Apr 11, 2007 6:11:35 AM cite

First of all we are making life harder and harder for kids. Being only 19 I am inbetween childhood and adulthood, so looking at the way we are bringing up children i can make a mature judgement. The truth of the matter is parents are concerned with two things, Success and Image. People (parents) are to concerned with thier careers and trying to live "the golden life". The reality is while we are struggling for our $30,000 a year, our kids are being neglected and as a responce they turn into fat, disobeident, deliquents. The way we can change this is to self sacrifice, forget about yourself and look to your resposibilites, what should be most important to you, YOUR KIDS.

by Sheldon P

Mar 30, 2007 1:38:52 PM cite

Do not have children, unless you are sure, they will say when they grow up: there would not have been any better place and time to be born in, and no better parents to be raised by! --see: www.bocs.hu---made me think very much

by drika

Mar 30, 2007 8:36:11 AM cite

The only way to change undesired events is: Self-recognition. Knowing about the own belief systems and if necessary changing them. It is first an iside action which will generate then the matching outside.

by mbl

Mar 21, 2007 1:19:46 AM cite

In my experience, the first key is to spend quality time with our children and listen to them: that intimate, warm, loving and accepting relationship is essential to their life. Then, we must work hard out in the world to bring about the world that works for all: if we each do whatever we can -- whether in the area of environment, peace, justice or health -- we'll be making life better for them.

by Susan4ps