I was alarmed by recent articles in the Delaware State News (“Funds sought for crisis beds to help youths,” “Eight-part Youth Anxiety Program launches Saturday in Wilmington,” “Lawmakers address mental health with bill proposals,” Feb. 11). The articles deal with mental health in youth (as many as 20% have problems, and this affects the health care and justice systems, plus the economy). Which begs questions: What is this world coming to? Why do the youth need so much help? Are people failing as parents? What has to change?
In 1971, I took a college sociology class, and in it, the professor told us that, in the future, people would be either career people or people farmers. The career people would take care of the economy and enjoy being successful. The people farmers would have and raise children as expert parents. The new youth coming out of people farms would supply the world with good, smart people … no more racism, drug users, school shootings, teenage suicides and rapists! Absolutely perfect youth, ready for the world! So people would have two choices in life … career or creation!
OK, so this system may sound good, but it would make family as we know it obsolete! Family could be replaced by the U.S. Department of Creation and Parenting. Every individual would be empowered, and the problems we face now would disappear! (Or would they?)
So what can we do to save family? Be better parents, qualify people to be parents based on income, educate people in how to parent correctly? The DSN articles give us hope with good ideas and programs. All resources should be used to help youth and families!
For me, God is No. 1, and family is No. 2. I believe we have a resource that has been around a long time … churches! Churches have been a good support for the idea called “family.” Let’s get back to church with the whole family! Let the whole family have regular timeouts away from the house, with all its techy toys and distractions. Time away from blogs, channels and podcasts! Church can offer a calm environment, provide parents with associates to discuss parenting skills, give youth enjoyable activities and time to develop real (not text) relationships, provide encouraging words and the timeless good news!
There are new churches, new pastors to find out there! New music with uplifting lyrics of faith like: “We are already loved and chosen” and “We are not slaves to fear because we are children of God!” Let’s show our youth that church is valuable to family, which is worth saving!
Joseph Stine
Smyrna
