It certainly appears to me that all across society, we are hearing more and more screams from “big kids” who spent years and years being spoiled rotten by the system they now abhor. We all knew, or maybe we were one ourselves, a spoiled kid. This kid was usually an only child whose parents made more money than most and since they did not have a big family to spend it on; they gave little Johnny everything and anything he wanted to be happy.
A child growing up getting everything he wants, becomes an adult who demands nothing less. In our society, we have seen generation after generation rise up with no sense of stewardship and no understanding of what it takes to do without. Even today, as parents scramble to find enough money to pay the bills; the kids throw tantrums, demanding newer computer games and better toys. Even when parents try to say no, they usually crumble under the withering barrage of objections from kids who have never heard that word before.
We are surrounded by children ranging in age from 1 to 65 who never were told “NO, you can’t have that”. Kids have been given everything they think they need and everything they know they want for years. Whether junk food, cell phones, skateboards, baggy shorts or computerized games; all these “toys” have been dropped in the laps of kids for decades.
Parents who have tried to buy the love and respect of their kids by bombarding them with “things” have found these kids to be anything but loyal as they grow older. In fact, many times the kids rebel against this blatant form of bribery. On therapist’s couches across America there are stories told daily by delinquent kids who only wanted love and attention and not all the “things” they were given.
Nothing replaces the time a parent spends with their child. No amount of money and no amount of things can compensate for the time a child craves to spend with their parents. When mom and dad are too busy enjoying their lives to spend time with Junior; they usually wake up one day to a call that Junior either is in jail or killed himself. This is the sad reality of American families these days.
Kids need to be taught they cannot have everything they want. Kids need to be given quality time with their parents instead of shipping them to the mall or their friends houses to get them out of the parent’s hair. Kids need to be given responsibilities and when carried out, given an allowance. It is truly amazing how many kids are simply given money for doing absolutely nothing.
Activities such as television, movies and the such should be regulated and only available after homework is done. Activities such as athletics, drama and dance should be viewed as rewards and not as an equal part of life as breathing. Where in the world did the idea come from that every kid has to be involved with every sport taking up hours of time in practice and games year round? Where did the notion come from that a kid MUST play soccer, baseball, football, basketball along with having a major part in every school play and play a musical instrument to boot?
Is it any wonder that the country if full of families who have no clue how to function as a family? The very concept of a family has degenerated into people coming and going all the time and perhaps on major holidays they actually may all be together. Long gone are the evenings when families would sit around the table and play archaic games such as Monopoly or Clue. Such ideas of family activities today would be viewed upon as punishment by most kids and even many adults.
See, the adults don’t want to give up their favorite television shows or their poker nights or other adult activities; and the kids don’t want to give up their cell phones, e-mails, games and other time wasters. What remains is a bunch of stubborn people who are too selfish to give up what they want to benefit the other. What is truly sad is that the adults don’t have what it takes to put down their foot and simply say: “This is the way it is going to be”. Such words, even if they were said, would be met with a roomful of rolling eyes and “yea sure”.
What we are facing at the current time in this country is a crisis brought about by years and years of neglect and lack of supervision on the account of companies who violated principle after principle of good business practice. Whether they were not taught to do things right, or the greed built by always having what you want when you want it; either way, the result is an economic disaster of unprecedented parallels.
The “sins of the fathers” have been manifesting themselves ever more clearly through the events which have crushed this country in 2008. Unless and until American families get back to living according to the principles set forth in God’s Word instead of the ways of the world, this country would continue to spiral downward throughout the coming generations. Parents waiting on the government, schools or even their church to take over the raising and training of their children are perfect fools. Any parent who willingly relinquishes their responsibility of raising their family right, is a parent unfit to even have a family.
Whether due to being spoiled, neglected or being bribed; there are many “bad kids” who are now running corporations, managing huge financial institutions and are responsible for the horrible mess dragging down this country. Few parents think about the long term repercussions of the way in which they raise their kids. They simply do what is convenient at the present and “hope for the best” when the kids grow up. But what happens when they never do grow up? Look around and you will see.
