The Ohio Independent Baptist, February 1972

What's Wrong With The Kids? Long hair and grea y clothe , fa il – ing grade , lawbreaking antic , di re- pect for parent , teacher , and po]ice, vil e language lazy habit glue niff– ing and all the rest! "What 's wrong with o many kid nowaday ?", people ask. The an wer i imple . The trouble with mo t children i their parents. hildren are products of the homes that produced them. Let's look at the type of parent that produced the young people of today. The Permissive Parents , "fhi s parent say , "Johnny must be all owed to do as he pleases or he wi ll develop unwholesome inh ibi– tions.' "We don' t really like him to stay out all night and keep snake in his bedroom but if we ay any– thing it just star ts a big argument. After all, he must develop his own personality and viewpoint. " Of course, these parents wouldn 't think of mak– ing Johnny go to church or enforcing standards of conduct. Johnny will be permitted to go hi s own way. Have you ever noticed that garden plants left to themselves are soon overcome by weeds? The Pugilistic Parents Some homes have the decorum of the boxing ring. Everythi ng is tense and every iittle incident sounds the bell to send the household into com– bat. Ordinary prize fights are cond uct– ed according to rules, confi ned to the ring and go only fifteen rounds. These -home matches, however, range through the whole house, gain poi nts by fai r means or foul , verbal or physical, and sometimes go on for weeks or months. And where are the children while the curses and kettles fly? Warily watch– ing and learning the secrets of vio– lence, abuse, and unhappy homemak– ing to be put into practice · themselves as soon as possible. The Providing Parents These folk "had it rough'' when they were young. Their chi]dren will have it better . So both parents work day and night to provide the latest clothes, color TV, cars, and pizzas. Where do the kids spend their time? Who knows? The folk are at work . Wh at about providi ng some spiritual tra1ning? What about the guidance and counsel a parent should provide? "Sorry, loo much overt ime th1s week." The Protecting Parents hese low-calor ie, arti fie ia 11 y sweetened folks want to protect thei r ..dear ones.., Suzy may be a screaming THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST moo ter and Johnny a menace to society, but teacher, preacher or po– liceman had better not sugge t that they a re le s than perfec t. It 's the other kid who cause the trouble. So sheltered by the parents' ali bis, threats, bri bes, and balk, the young– sters go on the road that leads to destruction. The Proper Parents who exercise discipline wi th love, maintain authority with concern, and insist on standards of good conduct. They are much in prayer for their children, spend time with them, set an example before them and regularly go with them to church and Sunday School. If more parents chose this road, more young people would be on the right road. This rare group is made of parent OHIO BIRTHPLACE AND HOME OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF BAPTISTS FOR HOME MISSIONS Reaching America at th is Strategic Time P.O. BOX 455 ElYRIA, OHIO 44035 Phone: (216) 365-7308 DR. KENNETH A. MUCK, President JAMES R. HINES FEBRUARY, 1972 11