"Coming to terms with alcohol, drugs and sex has emerged as a new developmental task that all adolescents face as a part of the normal process of growing in a contemporary U.S society. In my opinion this is a false statement as this is not a new developmental task. This has always been a problem and a choice that adolescents have had to make. I feel the reason more kids today are making the wrong choice is tri-fold. It is a combination of a breakdown in family units, peer and parental pressures and the fact that drugs, alcohol and open sex is more readily accepted and publicized by our society as a whole.
A lot of kids today are raised by single parents who are forced to work longer hours to make ends meet. The kids are left fo fend for themselves and entertain themselves. The parent can't or simply don't take the time to really talk to their kids. More and more adults are dumping their own problems and responsibility on the kids. Many youth are struggling with their own issues of identity role confusion, conflict resolution, intimacy development and moral issues. Their only role models are their peers who are just as confused and anxious as they are. What you end up with are kids teaching what they have learned from their Own dysfunctional families and or T.V. and movies which glorify sex, drugs, alcohol and crime. Their is no adequate resolve and/or accomplishments in their stages of development. They begin to feel "stuck" and resort to drugs, alcohol, sex and crime as an escape from their own confusions, anxieties and feelings of abandonment. They become very angry young adults without morals or remorse.
What is the solution? Maybe to try and help the parents realize that they play a very important role in the development stages of their children. that their role does not end when the child reaches puberty. They have to teach the child at an early age right from wrong and how to make better choices. Also, how their choices can affect their whole life. We as parents have to continually "lead by example" and reinforce these teachings even thru young adulthood. We must take the time from our busy lives to truly listen to our children and help them grow into mature young adults. We cannot continue to put our own needs before our kids. It is our responsibility as parents to discipline our children and to build a solid foundation for them so their lives won't be so shaky and they won't feel the need to escape or continue to go to their peers for advice.
If the child is taught from an early age to be loving and caring, are taught values and morals, taught to be leaders, not followers, have been praised for their accomplishments and encouraged to keep trying when they fail --they will not be as likely to succumb to peer pressures. If they are taught that yes, there are a lot of problems within our society but they can make a difference and set an example for others, they will be more willing to take a stand and say no to these pressures. If they are taught that there can be a resolve to their conflicts and confusions and that their parents are willing to listen to their problems and help them work out a solution, then they won't feel the need to escape through the use of drugs and alcohol. If they feel loved and wanted in the home, they won't be as apt to seek out this closeness through sex.
In my opinion, the problem is not so much with the kids, but with the parents neglecting their responsibilities. the ones who do this have stripped the children of their most important right of all, the right to grow up into a healthy, happy and fulfilled young adult.
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An intriguing and True article. I would say however that drugs sex and alcohol are symptoms to a bigger problem rather than the problem itself. We as a culture laugh the moral and spiritual Compass we once had. Many people have turned away from a relationship with their creator. As a result over the period of the last hundred years we have found ourselves embracing drugs alcohol and sex. Turning away from God we find sin. Yes alcohol sex and drugs are concerned but I look at them only symptoms to a larger problem. When we go back to a moral and spiritual compass those concerns will disappear until then they're alive and well. Thanks for the great article and drawing this to our attention.
Thank you for your valuable input and you are correct. A lot of youth today are not taught spiritual matters.