99Parent is a site written by parents for parents. This site was created and is maintained by Robert and Annette Riley, the parents of two great 14 year old twin boys.
We’re still in the midst of our challenging journey and hope that some hard won lessons will help you and your family.
Parents are Stressed
Between kids starting homework in the first grade, the deluge of daily distractions, and nonsensical parenting advice found in the cultural ether, it’s easy for parents to become not only overwhelmed and but also confused.
So are Kids
Additionally, kids are growing up in a time of wealth, opportunity and endless entertainment but are also experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety and stress.
Why is this?
We believe it’s because although we’ve gained much materially, we’ve lost a sense of meaning, community, and family ties are weaker than in past generations.
The Concepts of Right or Wrong are Disappearing Fast
Something that seems to be completely, or nearly completely lacking in modern culture is the concept of right and wrong.
We’re Generation X kids and the difference in the culture of our childhoods and today is striking.
For instance, the other day we were watching a few TV shows from the 80s and also watched Disney’s Pinocchio with our kids. What hit us over the head like a pound of bricks was that not only in Pinocchio, but even in 80s sitcoms were the concepts of right or wrong central to the story.
We forget, but at one point culture assisted parents in reinforcing at least decent value systems in our children, sadly that is no longer the case.
Forget the stuff put out by the major studios – just take a look at YouTube and TikTok. Most of that stuff is mind-junk with little to no redeeming value which only teaches our kids to give into their base desires. And how many kids do you know that whose biggest aspiration in life to be just like the people putting out the same junk that rots the brains of other kids?
Is that the kind of value system we want our kids to be taught?
Even Modern Therapy is In Crisis
The cultural problems even extend to the therapy industry. For instance, if you take your child to a therapist how many times will that therapist tell you or your child that a behavior is right or wrong and those concepts of right and wrong align with your underlying value structure?
The vast majority of the time these ideas are left out of the conversation because the concept of right or wrong has become taboo in modern culture. This is incredibly dangerous and from my view, lies at the very heart of our current crisis.
For without the concept of a right and wrong which we can teach our children to shoot for or fight against, everything will forever be relative.
Kids need to know that there are things more important than their immediate gratification, their purpose here on Earth isn’t just to satisfy their base desires or to avoid discomfort at all costs.
Teaching kids without an overarching sense of morality is setting them and the rest of society up for disaster.
Join the Journey
I hope to expand on these thoughts and hope you and your family will find them valuable.
We parents need to stick together and help to raise the next generation to be responsible, caring adults and we hope you’ll join me on this journey!
Want to contact us? Please fill out the form below and we’ll get back to you shortly.
-Robert and Annette Riley