Deliquent Parents

2 Pages 520 Words

The Lost Children of Rockdale County:
Delinquent Parents

Gone, are the good old days when mom and dad took the time to teach their children about morals, values and the fundamentals of growing up. Instead, we see parents who have replaced nurturing and personal involvement, with the purchase of material goods (computer and video games). We see parents who are frightened to discipline their children and who are unable to set boundaries. We see parents who are afraid to hug their children and be involved in their lives. A child's behavior is a reflection of the type of home he or she comes from. Parents are supposed to be role models, but what do we find, parents are neglecting their responsibility. Parents, who should teach by precept and example, have fallen prey to the “do as I say, but not as I do” syndrome. Society, often fails to look at the root cause of many of the adolescent problems being witnessed today.
I watched a documentary entitled The Lost Children of Rockdale County. The focus of the program was sexual promiscuity, drugs, pornography, and alcohol use in the lives of upper middle class children of Rockdale. What I found more troubling was the tremendous breakdown that exists between the children and their parents. The neighborhood was full of homes that were null and void of adult presences and supervision.
Recent research on adolescent behavior has provided an insight into factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency.
The relationships between parents and adolescents play a significant role in the social well being of the children. Children, who do their best, have parents who both nurture and control their children's actions. Nurturing and control characterize the form of parenting referred to as authoritative. Authoritative parents are both firm and fair. Rarely did I see this type of parent in the program. “I thought that if I disciplined you, you would run away”, was one comment made by a moth...