It is human habit to be always on the move, as we mature, drifting into new constrictions; every liberating perspective imposes its own rigidities—we flee from one half-truth through a wide-open door that turns out to lead us to another half-truth. We run from the hyper-genteel homes of our parents to the self-assured vulgar adult World, which is full of unmentionables we like to hide from others. As these adults grow up and produce their own families, much like their parents, they tiptoe over the surface of life to make the World a paradise for the young ones. We want out children to grow up with instinct for safety, but we do not articulate this, and we should not, it is simply a devotion of a loving parent to bring their child up in a World where everything is perfect and righteous. Each cell of a new generation must receive the required hereditary instructions (in the form of parental DNA) to start up their new operation of life. Under the best of all possible conditions, an adult is able to balance work, life and children, without being mean, dramatic or abusive.

Just a few generations ago, parents did not worry all that much about their children’s social lives. Lack of guidance and parental leniency forces adolescents to seek support and stability somewhere else. Many of them go to senior high school, colleges, and the public with little faith in and no respect for adults. Receiving little if any moral guidance, being brought up without restraint, and having received inadequate encouragement for self-restraint, some contemporary American adolescents perpetuate the pattern of selfishness and instrumentalism. Unable or unwilling to transmit whatever cultural and moral values they possess, many contemporary parents passively watch the erosion of the cultural heritage of the Judeo-Christian tradition and continue paying their children’s bills in silent resignation or subdued anger. As a result, there are many instances of affluent teenagers, who are part of a leisure-class culture in which the social role and maturation and adulthood is representative of prolonged adolescence—forever 16. One of the main values and status symbols of this leisure class is living in their parent’s lavish homes (making believe it is there’s) and the possession of a nice car. It is almost a prerequisite for popularity, a necessity for dating, and a sign of distinction, in the adolescent crowd.

Parents and children do not spend a great deal of time together anymore. It is a familiar story. In culture were more women than ever are working, more are remaining in the workforce after having children, and more are single parents—and in which both mothers and fathers are working longer hours than ever and they simply do not see as much of their children. Family members can indeed feel like ships that pass in the night. In a competitive World, parents want their children to keep pace with their peers. However, parents perceive the social World their children live in as being fraught with difficulties, even dangers, they themselves never had to face when they were in school. The World is more complicated, dealing with youth is like greeting a foreign culture, for many adults. Some contemporary teenagers are interested in sports, automobiles, bikes, clothing, music, computers, reading, movies, dating, news, sex and drugs. Drug abuse has become a favorite enjoyment at any age, and some parents punish their children for stealing, selling and using drugs. Lack of guidance, sexual interest and economic parasitism are essential ingredients of the youth culture. However, not all youth are bad. Some are honest, not having sex, nor using drugs and getting good great.

Many of the things that used to cause children problems are now fixable. Orthodontists, dermatologist, Math, English and reading tutors and a myriad of other specialists are ready to help us turn out the perfect child. A good parent keeps tabs on their children and believes that they can help their child solve all of their problems. Today’s parents are aware of the social problems are they are taking on the admirable tasks of attending to their children’s emotional and psychological well-being, at the very moment that they seem most vulnerable to powerful forces beyond our control. Youth groups with their own activities, practices, and standards often look to their peers for approval and support, and to the mass media (controlled by adults) for solutions to their problems. However, the traditional task of education—preparation for the responsibilities of adult life—has lost its prime importance because no one is paying attention. Many of the youth want to be celebrities and famous, but they do not want to put in the hard work it takes. School is so important, and I cannot stress that enough. If you are young and do nothing else, at least finish high school, and please consider going to college, even if you just take a few classes to see if it is something that you like or not.