If today's youth are lacking in compassion, who's fault is it? If they fail to demonstrate caring and concern towards their fellow human beings, it is because we, the adults in their lives are not teaching this virtue. Honestly, how many adults do you know that make a point of showing genuine feeling for their fellow adults. When you walk by the homeless man in the park, what is that saying about the value of his life? When you throw empty food wrappers on the ground, what is that saying about the value of our planet? Children are astute. They notice these things. In leading by example, we can do much to help our children develop into compassionate adults.

In today's fast paced world, taking responsibility for oneself is first and foremost. In order to succeed, one has to look out for oneself before anyone else. Competition drives the country. We tell our children that all we expect is for them to do the best they can. Our actions often contradict that saying, implying "I want you to do THE best, not just YOUR best." In the race to the finish line, are we teaching are children to trample on their peers? Are we teaching them to value every accomplishment, no matter what the outcome at the end of the line? Sure, compassion is somewhere in the dialog but maybe it's number ten on the list after winning the baseball game, getting into a good college, having a fancier car than the family next door, and getting a job with benefits and a 401K plan.

How is it possible to teach children the importance of charity while there are unpaid bills piling up on the kitchen table? The lesson that children take is that one has to look out for oneself. One pays their bills. One maintains good credit. One buys a vacation home in the Caribbean and the newest flashiest SUV. How many of us have our children trick-or-treat with a box for Unicef? How many of us talk with our children, poignantly, about the poverty and circumstances that give us the things we have while others struggle to eat? How many of us make time in our busy lives to volunteer for causes we support? These things need to be pointed out and discussed. Otherwise, the children will grow up without knowing the true value of compassion. They follow examples and we, as adults, are failing to provide a good one.

So yes, maybe our youth are lacking compassion. Maybe they are more concerned with their ipods and video games than the people starving to death in Sub-Saharan Africa. But how can they not be? Who is teaching them otherwise?

Learn more about this author, Annie Barley.
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