0.

Single Parent Households

The problems begin at home. Since the 1950s, the number of single parent homes has consistently increased to the point of catastrophe. Today, 14 million single parents are responsible for 28 million children. Raising a child is difficult enough in a two parent home, especially in tough economic conditions. The situation is even direr when there is only one parent. Economically, a single parent is likely to bring less income home. This equates to fewer opportunities for such vital necessities as education. Trying to make ends meet also takes time time that is spent away from children who need a parents guiding/influence. Absent a parents diligent guidance, children become subject to higher dropout rates, higher risk of dangerous sexual behaviors and pregnancies, higher chances of drug and alcohol abuse etc. It truly takes a village to raise a child.

9. Drug/Alcohol Abuse

There was a time in cinematic history where virtually every actor/actress was portrayed on screen with a cigarette in hand. Smoking, it was implied, was cool. As a result everyone was doing it, including kids. Well, as awareness to the danger of smoking increased, cool images of smoking disappeared. Unfortunately, the same cant be said about drugs and alcohol. These vices are staples in everyday media. Simply, drinking and using drugs is shown as being cool. The numbers bear the tale. 21% of high school seniors say they get high and 41% of the same group report drinking alcohol. Our kids are literally moving around in an intoxicated daze. Immature behavior is then amplified due to being under the influence. Drunk driving, poor grades and attendance, anti-social and violent behavior and the list goes on.

8. Growing up too Fast

There was a time when kids enjoyed being kids. Today, even at the earliest of ages, children are partaking in adult activities with serious consequences. Similar to what we see with alcohol and drugs, sex is a very popular and portrayed subject matter. The movies, TV, the internet, essentially everywhere a kid turns he or she is bombarded with sexual suggestions. In fact, there are entire TV series marketed directly to kids dealing with sex the egregious being The Secret Lives of an American Teenager and Teen Mom, to name two. Music is a culprit as well. Songs have always had sexual innuendos, but at least back in the day you had to be old enough to understand them. Today, its all about How low can you go and baby let me sex you up. Kids are having sex as early as 10 and 11, with teen pregnancies increasingly on the rise. The concept of childhood is literally being wiped out.

7. Violence in Schools

A childs education is the foundation from which he or she will be able to go forth out into the world and build a life. Schools play a major role in this endeavor, and therefore it is reasonable to expect that these places of learning would be safe havens for the children while they are preparing for adulthood. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In many instances, especially in low income, urban settings, schools can be a war zone. We are not talking about minor bullying, but rather serious violence. Consider that in the last decade 284 kids were murdered due to school violence these were shootings, stabbings, fighting and suicides. Growing up is tough enough without having to be worried about being killed while going to math class.

6. Materialism

We live in a society that promotes materialism and so we perpetuate this particular malady by instilling bad habits into our children. We teach our children that the measure of success and happiness in life is how much stuff you have. Kids naturally want things especially if their friends have something similar. Unfortunately, there seems to be little restraint on accompanying guidance as we go about this. Essentially, we provide our kids

with whatever they want that is within our financial ability to do so. The concept of earning what you get or the idea that something you dont need seem to have been lost and discarded. Is there really any wonder why the average adult is $15,000 in debt at any given time? We have a mentality of getting what we want and when we want it that has been ingrained in us since childhood. The unfortunate result is that there are devastating consequences for such continued behavior later in life.

5. Obesity

Our kids are fat and getting fatter. Recent numbers show that 20% of American children are obese. Not chubby OBESE! Video games, TV, the internet and fast food are partly to blame. Kids are spending more time sitting in front of a TV/computer screen than running around outside. This sedentary lifestyle has consequences. Socially, its no secret that overweight kids are going to be subject to ridicule from their peers its sad, but nevertheless true. This can result in such issues as low self-esteem, depression, etc. Then there are the health concerns. High blood pressure, diabetes and other maladies that is associated with obesity. Psychologically and physically, obesity is an issue that can be resolved with a simple increase in activity and awareness.

4. Education Disparity

Education is important. Few people would dispute this well regarded fact. A good education (in comparison with a bad one) will provide a child with an increased chance of taking advantage of opportunities to be successful in life. Unfortunately, some people have it better than other. This is not an issue of just one school being better than another school. Rather we are talking about whole classes of American children being denied a proper education that will prepare them to compete in a job market with their peers and have the same access to the American Dream. Disparity in educational quality is delineated by race and financial status. If you live in a poor neighborhood or are a minority, there is a good chance that the schools you attend are lacking many necessities. While Asians and Whites enjoy high graduating rates, African American and Latinos continue to lag behind. Not surprisingly, because job opportunities are lessen for dropouts, these two groups have the highest incarceration rates.

3. Shifting Economy

America used to sustain itself with making its own products through manufacturing and then turning around and selling those products. The economy is shifting to more of a service industry versus a manufacturing industry. In order to cut costs and keep product prices down companies are forced to outsource manufacturing to other countries. Other countries can produce products at much lower labor costs. Some companies have even begun to outsource call center jobs to keep labor costs down. Not only is America now having lower paying service jobs than the average blue-collar job with a sustainable income but our economy is now a global economy. For example, what happens in Japan or Iraq can drastically alter prices for our stock exchanges, gas/oil, and many other products. What exactly does this mean for our youth? The youth cannot graduate or even dropout of school without going through the pains of a low-income job. The jobs offered with no experience pay very little with very little room for pay increases. In fact, the competition to get a promotion can be fierce. In the past, your high school senior could graduate and go work at the local factory for the rest of his or her life and make a good living. They would not necessarily need to have a college education to survive. In fact, youth today will graduate from college with multiple degrees and still cannot find work that pays enough to sustain a decent lifestyle.

2. Poverty

The federal poverty level is $22,050 for a family of four. This equates to 21% of all children (15 million children) are considered in poverty. Just to cover basic expenses for a family of four you would need to have a salary of $45,000. This means that nearly 50% of our children are living in poverty. Half of those kids receive no government assistance because their parents earned more than $22,050 that year. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP), that poverty is the single greatest threat to childrens well-being. Poverty impedes learning and contributes to social and behavioral problems. And guess what? There is no income to counteract these problems. Mommy cannot afford a tutor or Daddy cannot afford a counselor. There is a huge opportunity for society to stop being so materialistic and in turn poverty wouldnt be such an issue because most children will all have the same things things they need instead of what they want. This would decrease violence in schools because fewer kids would be teased.

1. Erosion of National Pride/Identity

If every year the Olympics were held, this probably wouldnt be a problem. This list is indicative of the fact that America (like any nation) has problems. The issue at hand is collective though amongst the people affected about how to deal with them. Unfortunately most folks tend to focus on their self and not the whole. We see these problems as affecting them and not me/us When we hear that Americas children are the fattest among Western nations, this doesnt sting. When we learn that Americas children lay educationally behind other industrialized nations, we dont cringe. There is very little sense of collective identity of people, as Americans. This is a result of our children not being properly educated and guided. There was a time when every child would begin the school day by standing and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Children were taught the significance of the 4th of July (besides fireworks). These practices are long gone and so is our sense of common destiny. With so many diverse nationalities, races, and ethnic groups that comprise America, the one common bond we all have with one another is that we are Americans.

Read more: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-issues-facing-our-youth-today.php#ixzz1uKoh6zUJ

Problems Affecting Young People Today

by Sonny Caton Essentially, "young people" fall into the period of life from the beginning of puberty to the attainment of adulthood. This period is usually concomitant with problems as they "struggle" to fit themselves into society. The word "problem" doesn't necessarily imply that youth is assumed to be a period in which storm and stress predominate; it can be a period marked by good health and high achievement. Nevertheless difficult decisions and adjustments face young people in today's society. In this article, therefore I would attempt to identify some of the fundamental problems faced by young people today and possible solutions to these problems. Perhaps the most fundamental problem faced by young people today is unemployment. Because of the universal downturn in the economy coupled with technology whereby particular jobs and skills are made obsolete, many youth today are experiencing problems in obtaining jobs. Young people today have certain needs and aspirations. Consequently, the treat of unemployment means financial worries, frustration and discouragement. How do the youth today respond to this? Given that many youths may not be sufficiently mature to cope with such problems, they go in the undesirable direction of delinquency, drugs, vandalism, stealing, etc. Moreover, they compensate for their feelings by striking out against society, revolting against adult authority. These problems are invariably compounded by peer pressure whereby young people are forced either consciously or unconsciously to become involved in those antisocial activities by people of their own age group. What can be done to solve the problem of unemployment and its ills? One method which can be adopted to curb the problems which arise out of unemployment among youths, involves the providing of relief or protection from the financial hardships of unemployment. For instance, a compulsory unemployment insurance system could be adopted in which workers and their employers contribute to a fund out of which payments are made to those young people who are eligible for work, but cannot find work. Incidently this method is currently being used in the United States of America, Britain and other countries. Other methods which can be adopted include measures aimed at creating conditions that reduces the level of unemployment. These would include: (a) programmes for retraining, in order to give would be employed young people new skills that are in demand; (b) subsidies and other incentives to encourage workers to move out of areas of labour surplus into areas in which labour is in short supply. Also, young people should strive for high education in order that they would be qualified for the very skilled labour force required by industrialized and "semi-industrialized" countries. Another problem facing young people today is the tension which exist between parents and children. It is usually common for strained relationships to develop between parents and young people. In their eagerness to achieve adult status, young people may or rather usually resent any restrictions placed upon them. Often times young people may not be willing to admit that they have doubts and fears about taking on adult responsibilities and freedom. They invariably believe that their parents are overanxious and overprotective. This usually creates

tension between parents and young people. To correct this problem, psychologist emphasize the significance of psychological weaning. This is the process of outgrowing family domination and working towards the time when the young person establishes his or her own home. Similarly, parents should exercise control over young people, but with sympathy and understanding. An area of immense concern, and which poses a problem for young people and their parents is sex and dating. Some parents today are prepared to give their children some latitude as far as dating and sex are concerned. In contrast, some parents are very overprotective, restricting their children from going out with the opposite sex, thus, many young people today are debarred from learning the valuable experience of adjusting to other persons. They also show deficiency in the development of social poise, which might not be available otherwise and this deprives them of their privilege. Therefore, parents, school, and the church can and should do more to promote wholesome relationships. Teenage pregnancies and venereal disease are also common problems facing the young person or teenager. This can severely disrupt her education. Moreover, being pregnant at such an early age can also have deleterious effects on one's health. Perhaps what is most important is the risk of "catching" the deadly disease AIDS. Many young persons today have contacted AIDS and are suffering the consequences, being terminally ill. What can be done to address these problems? First, many of the sexually related problems of young people can be lessened if young people were given sufficient and suitable instruction well in advance of the time when sex is an immediate concern for them. Some surveys have shown that the primary source of information most children, regarding sex, is their peers, not from their parents. Secondly, the postponement of sex prior to marriage can go a long way to reduce the incidence of AIDS. And thirdly, the church can reinforce the Christian teaching of monogamy. On the question of Church, it has been found that many of our young people today attend church, while an equal or greater amount do not attend church. There is a tendency for the latter set, to become involved in antisocial activities such as drugs, gambling, stealing and vandalism. For those young people who attend churches, many of them have serious reservations about the church as a whole. Many of them question the significance of the church in view of what is happening in our society today, in terms of drugs, unemployment, frustration, and crime. Maybe the church needs to diversify its programmes in order to effectively accommodate the "Modern youths" and by extension to curb their fears and frustration. Having looked at most of the fundamental problem areas for young people and solutions to these problems, I would hope that, or rather it is my desire that this article would serve as a vehicle for helping young people today to appreciate and understand some of the problems which confront them and how they can attempt to address them. Additionally, it is my fervent hope that those in authority would work in conjunction with young people to help them to alleviate the aforementioned problems. We must remember that the young people are the leaders of tomorrow; consequently, it is incumbent on the adults to set the pace (as it were) for an uninterrupted transition. Sonny Caton is a member of the Moriah Moravian Church, Tobago.

ISSUES TEENS FACE TODAY (This is the accompanying post to the previous one about how to talk to teens.) Teens love to talk: they love to talk online, on aim, on the phone, at school, after-school, at the mall, in the car, behind their friends backwhat on earth are they talking about?and why does sudden lock-jaw occur when parents are within a five foot radius? I decided to see what the most popular calls were at a hotline called Teenline (where teens call in to get help from other teenagers) So what are the most popular issues? What do teens today really worry about? And why arent these issues brought up more with parents, counselors and teachers who can actually give advice and seek help? 1) Relationships Teens frequently want to talk to other teens about relationships with parents, siblings, friends and teachers. This is a broad topic I know, but interactions, building relationships and friendships are extremely important to teenagers. 2) Abuse This includes sexual, physical, verbal and neglect as types of abuse. Many teens call in for friends or people they know who are being abused to talk about what abuse actually means. Frequently, teens want to know where is the line between parents who are yelling and verbal abuse? What are the laws on spanking children? 3) Sex Despite the attempts of many school health classes, teens have lots of questions about pregnancy, condoms, abstinence and oral sex. 4) Drugs and Alcohol Issues with addiction and parties come up for teens when they know of friends who might be dealing or using drugs. 5) Suicide Unfortunately, a great number of teens think, worry about or know someone who is considering suicide. Many times teens feel isolated and alone and need someone to talk to, but do not know where to turn when they might get in trouble or have to divulge secrets they are not ready to tell. Surprisingly, Teenline gets an equal number of male and female callers. All kinds of teens today are dealing with these issues, not just girls, not just poor kids, not just rich kids, not just kids in private schooleveryone is dealing with these important, and sometimes very serious issues. For parents, maybe you are wonderingwhy your teen does not talk to you about these issues. Teens feel uncomfortable talking to adults because they feel they will not understand what is going on for them today, they are afraid they will get in trouble and worry that they will be judged. Therefore, it is important for adults to be aware that even though teens might not act like drugs or sex is a big deal to them, they do actually worry about these issues. Be sure to check out the accompanying post to this one Three Ways Parents Can Get Teens to Talk, to get your teens to feel comfortable talking to you about these issues.

If you like this article, read our other Radical Parenting Articles. If you are really inspired, think about taking the Radical Parenting Pledge..are you radical enough? Supporters Substance abuse can be dealt with through drug addiction treatment provided in rehab centers; though often at a large expense to parents. A teen drug rehab center specializes in helping adolescents overcome their drug addiction. If you liked this article get more Radical Parenting in our new book: Do I Get My Allowance Before or After Im Grounded?

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