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As this country mourns for those who needlessly died in another school shooting, my local newspaper runs a front page news article about "the eroding fabric of some teens' lives". The article gives the results of a survey that was given to 7,200 kids by the Council for Prevention. The survey shows that kids don't feel connected to their communities.
In the mid-sixties, this country began to see an erosion of values - traditional family values - that would lead us to where we are now. In the late 1980s, mothers began entering the workforce en masse. Materialism helped assuage mothers' feelings of guilt as they either left their children alone or plopped them in daycare programs.
Rather than "getting it," so-called experts call on communities to step in to provide what families should be providing to their children - a sense of security, stability, and a sense of belonging to an indestructible and loyal family unit.
More programs for kids spring up and yet things get worse. It is no wonder that kids feel isolated and disconnected from their communities. There is little casual interaction within our communities anymore. Generations are separated from each other. Neighborhoods are eerily quiet. Families juggle too many scheduled events. Children have little free time left for casual interaction with their families, friends, and neighbors, and what little free time they may have is swallowed up by television, video games, and music with highly questionable lyrics that further isolate them.
Our self-esteem oriented schools and psychologists have also isolated our children by giving them the idea that they, as individuals, are somehow deserving of unearned attention and rewards.
In this "me first" society, who can be surprised when our children get mixed-messages? Who can be surprised when they feel that they have no family to turn to for support and stability? Who can be surprised when children act out in rage when they are confused by the "for the children" messages, when it has become obvious that what is "for the children" is really for the selfish adult society? What program can we put our child into so we can be comfortable doing our own thing? What TV program can we turn on for our child that will hold his interest while we make dinner? What can we buy our child that shows him we care about him?
Wake up, America! It is never too late, ...until it is.