Wolfman07's Blog

What messages are we as parents sending to our next generation about sex and the responsibilities and consequences of it?  Obviously the facts speak for themselves that kids are out of control as it relates to sexual contact between the ages of 14 and 17 year olds.  Birth rates are out of control and happening with our younger and younger teenagers.  Sexually transmitted disease rates have risen dramatically amongst our teenage populations.  This is a major problem that needs a major attention boost. 

Being the father of two teenage boys, (16 and 18) I have lived with the belief that I taught them enough about respect that they would think before they acted.  They understand that the instant attraction and excitement they feel about the girls they are dating is perfectly okay.  But when that feeling begins to override their will power, change the situation.  Be responsible and understand that what you do today will determine how tomorrow is lived.  I believe that.  But it seems that many other parents are not doing the same things that I am trying to do.  They are not making sure that their children understand that THEY control their lives and their destiny's.  They must take school seriously, they must take life seriously and treat everyone with respect.  I am so tired of hearing excuses about lack of parenting.  From the "It is where we live, the neighborhood, that's why their in gangs,"  or "I don't know why my child is 14 or 15 and running around outside at 11:30 at night, I didn't tell them they could do that.  I had to work you know?"  Or "I don't care what their grades are, only that they are there everyday and they will get a meal or two."

Now I am not saying that is the case with all parents.  Not at all.  Just those who chose to either ignore or simply not care about the consequences of letting the child grow up with no positive role models in their lives.  Children become what they grow up seeing.  It is a proven fact.  If a child is raised in front of a television, they lose interpersonal skills and relationship coping skills.  If they are raised with no supervision, (the come and go constantly kids) They do not learn boundaries and routine type responsibilities.  That is our job as parents.  We are responsible for making sure that they understand right and wrong, and common sense.  That they understand the "do unto other's as you would want done to you" mentality.  Help thy neighbor and not fear or ridicule him thought process.

Many of our children here in Milwaukee are lost.  They have chose a path of darkness and crime over the path to progress and success.  We can get them back.  It starts with one child at a time, and you know where your start is.  It is in your own homes.  Change your child and you will change three.  Since they have friends and the child has three friends, you see my point.

But to have kids committing crimes such as Assault & Battery, Domestic Violence, Rape, Kidnapping, Burglary, Armed Robbery, and Murder in the name of poverty and it is all that they know, is a joke and total cop-out.  These are the kids where they parents are missing.  Working, out at the bar or at friends houses, drinking or doing drugs, or simply out of touch with their lives and vegging on their couches.  These kids have no supervision and the parents have no ideas what these kids are up to.  Those are who I am angry at.  If you don't care about where they are at 11:30 pm, I now understand why you were not at Parent Teacher Meetings either. 

We must change for our futures sake.