Who is raising our children?

I wonder why we complain about the level of violence and deprivation in the society, when no one is checking the foundation. That little girl you leave alone locked up in the house with the DSTV and its many ‘fashion’ channels, your little boy that you buy a blackberry and other expensive gadgets for to fill in the void of your absence, the teenager who has no restriction on when to come home and where not to go to, your male young adult you never showed how to treat a lady and your young unmarried woman you were too busy to help train into becoming a lady. Well don’t get all touchy I am only just wondering.

 

Growing up in the 80’s was easy, at least for our parents. The distraction of the DSTV and cable was not bad. If you even had a coloured teevee you wouldn’t have much to watch. Tv’s resumed 4pm and shut down just a little after the clock strikes 12 in the night. You could only watch films on the VHS when they, parents or adults, are around. Else you would ‘chop’ some beating if they came home to find the VHS player warm. 

                                                                                       

That was then. 

Now? I don’t know where to start. The child is crying for attention so you put him in front of the tv to shut him up. He grows up and at 3 years old he is still watching the tv at 11pm. Back then you had to sneak and hide behind the settee to catch a glimpse of ‘space nighty-nighty-nine’ (if you didn’t grow up during the 80s you probably don’t know what this is about) which showed at about 10pm. (can't really remember :p)

Now? A teenager/young adult leaves his parents’ house and goes partying all night and comes back reeking of alcohol and the parents turn a blind eye. The Father, if he is even around, is too guilty to say anything, the mother too scared that the child may not love her anymore.

“Who in the name of ‘paying for the absence in the life of his or her son’ buys him a blackberry phone that allows him unrestricted access to several off limit sites, even to ‘wise’ adults, and expensive games?" And then pay heavily for home teachers and then still wonder why the child is not doing well with school work.  Duh! 

Well since I am only just wondering I really don’t have to give a concluding remark on the issue. I would rather like to end with Chaz B’s (Inspiration Fm) extract from the bible – guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life.  And ask you "who is raising your child?"