This story is great for a number of reasons.
First, it shows just how important parents and families are to the development of kids. The study links the delinquent behavior of British youth to a lack of parent involvement and the unwillingness of adults to confront their wayward spawn. British kids spend too much time with their friends, roaming the streets, and not enough time with their parents. But wait a minute, I thought it took a village to raise a child? Apparently the village is failing.
Parents are the most important part of a child's life. They are the ones who are supposed to instill values and basic morals into their children. Some will fail or neglect their duties, but the majority, when they take on the responsibilities of their role, will do it well.
The village can not effectively raise a child in a modern democratic state. There are too many factors and ideas at play. You never know what your kid will pick up off the street.
The family can not be replaced and the social problems of the West can, in part, be linked to the break down of its basic institution.
The second reason this story is great has to do with the proposed solutions to the problem. They basically involve keeping schools open later and funding after school drama clubs. None of them
will make one bit of difference. A child with no moral compass will not become a decent citizen after they perform a couple of acts of The Crucible. Additionally, the kids who most need the programs will probably go to a friend's basement and smoke weed while playing their Wii instead of becoming a cadet.
The report even hints that such activities will be compulsory. What are they going to do? Are they going to arrest kids who do not show up for the 5pm rehearsal of Hairspray?
Attempts to create a community based substitute for the family will fail. It is like trying to make a pizza based substitute for oxygen. Community centers and classrooms are no substitute for a family dinner.
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