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Children and teens haven't changed. Their needs are still the same The world around them has changed. We have gone from two parent families with a mother at home to single parents and the return of blended families. Blended families were common in the 1800's.

We as parents teach through example. Do you thank the person holding the door open for you? Do you swear at the driver in front of you? We used to know our neighbors, we played in the parks. Today's children are taught not to trust people.

Well-to-do families were expected to do charity work for the poor. Has your child ever seen a soup kitchen? Do our children see us actually helping someone less fortunate, teaching them empathy?

How many people today take their children to church? Do they feel they are a important part of their community and can make a difference? If our children are spending most of their time watching T.V. and playing video games who is teaching them their morals and values? The World Wrestling Federation and music videos?

We are cheating our children of real life lessons. Both parents are now working. We as parents have spoiled our children with things which has taught them to take things for granted. The number of children per family has dropped; they no longer need to learn to share with siblings. We treat them as young adults and let them make choices without having the proper reasoning skills that comes with maturity. When a child is not expected to help with chores at home they do not know how to be part of a team. They do not understand the importance of their place in the family unit or society.

We spend so much time trying to make a living that in essence we are no longer living. Children are losing the structure and security of the family unit. They are looking for guidance. Children have more material things than ever before but are more unhappy than ever. Things do not make us happy but we keep buying.

What has changed is the security of the family unit and what we as a society define as acceptable social behavior. We have become too placid and self indulgent. We are stressed out over things that are really not important. We are living outside ourselves. Most of us were raised to know the difference between right and wrong but are failing to pass those messages to our own children. Are we afraid to hold our own opinions for fear of not being politically correct? Do children today feel they no longer have anyone they can look up to and respect? Are they angry with the world thinking that adults are all hypocrites and we we are missing the mark. If we look at what we have taken away from them, we will find the answer. We have created this generation.

Learn more about this author, Julie Bedford.
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