The world today

Ok. So I look at the world outside the four wall of my apartment and wonder what are coming to? There are teenage boys standing on top of each other climbing through the second story window, a bus dropping off the little ones at their homes at which there is no one there to greet them, and standing on the corner is a man holding a sign that say's "why lie? I need a beer" and is making more money than my husband who works. There is no doubt about it this country is gone to "hell in a handbasket" when all of these things are considered "normal and everyday" occurences. Where is the substance? Where is the "family values" that used to dictate our country? I look around and see children roaming the streets, left to their own devices and wonder why everyone asks "what is wrong with the youth of today?" Well perhaps if parents actually made homes for their children and were involved in their children's lives we would not have the issues we seem to in all parts of America. I look at my son who has barely lived in this world almost 2 years and wonder how any parent could possibly not want a connection, a bond with their child. How can parents leave their children to be adults and expect them to be adults when they never taught them how. Independence is overrated in anyone younger than 18 and possibly even then for 18 year olds may be less mature than the average 6 year old. Teaching your children to be adults and live in the world as functioning human beings starts at birth. You are raising your child to be an adult, a functioning adult. You don't just need to teach your children their colors, their name, how to read but also compassion, to stand on their own 2 feet, a good work ethic, and most of all that nothing or noone should ever come between them and their values. With this age of parents working outside the home and spending more and more time away from their children these things are even more important to be taught early and often. Teaching your children to say no to drugs is important but so is teaching them why they are saying no and that they are capable of living life without these vices and will have a better life for it. Perhaps if more people spent time with their children, playing instead of lecturing, eating meals together instead of going through a drive thru, inviting friends over to the house instead of sending your child out we would see a major difference in the youth of today. Teaching your child to be a child when they are young and how to be independent adults when they reach the age is more important than what they own. Do not expect your teenager to deal with your problems and do not expect that they will deal well with responsibility they are still young and should not be given "adult" status. Parents need to supervise. You are a parent for the rest of your life and your children should always feel that you "parented" and did not just leave them to figure out life on their own. Ok so maybe I am a little bitter at listening to parents who constantly say but they don't listen you have to make your children listen and you need to respect yourself and anyone around you important in your child's life or they will not have respect for you, the other people, or themselves. Take the day off, take your child/teenager out and do something fun insinuate yourselves into their lives as best you can, keep those tabs on them; they will not appreciate it now but later in life and as they become parents they will understand.