Behind the Drug Culture is Child Neglect
by Fr Shay Cullen
St James, Andrea del Sarto, 1528-29
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy [Web Gallery of Art]
A society without respect for and openness to accepting and listening to children and young people is like a land without water – everything dies.
Parents, relatives and enlightened community leaders are increasingly alarmed and shocked by the spread and common availability of personality- and mind-altering dangerous drugs. With the ‘internet-of-everything’ connecting everybody on smart phones, tablets, laptops and even eyeglasses, young people are exposed to a bombardment of influences more powerful, compelling and dangerous than ever before.
The role-model they see before them when entering adolescence has the greatest influence on their lives and self-image. The most important is the loving, caring parent who teaches by good actions as much as by positive words.
Young persons can be inspired and become a socially-involved and active youth helping others if listened to, involved in the life of the family, have good parents or brothers and sisters they can admire and imitate.
As busy parents get more involved with themselves and forget their children’s needs for friendship and companionship and leave them to themselves, then they could lose their child. Hundreds of thousands of children are running away from home and from unloving and abusive parents, more than ever before.
Full post here.