Trouble Facing Young People Today Term Paper

Young People and the Role of the Parent

There are a number of problems associated with young people today. Many young people turn to drugs and alcohol. Many others turn to crime, ranging from graffiti and shoplifting to break and enters and car theft. While there may be many reasons that contribute to these problems, I believe parenting is one that continues to be of major importance. This is not to say that parents are the reason for the problems, but I believe parents can do more to prevent their children from turning to drugs, alcohol and crime.

Firstly, I must note that it is not always the fault of parents. I know that there are a great deal of parents who raise their children well but still have them turn to drugs and alcohol. However, I also know that many children that have serious problems with drugs and alcohol come from dysfunctional homes. Many people might disagree with this statement, but I work in this field and have seen for myself that parenting plays a major role in the decisions that young people make. As noted, this does not mean that children in trouble always come from bad parents.But it does mean that good parenting is more likely to help the child to make good decisions and stay out of trouble.

Many people would also argue that society is to blame. It is true that there are a lot more pressures and bad influences in society. This is another contributor to the problems and a reason that parenting becomes even more important. In the past, I think children were more protected than they are in today's society. They did not have the bad influences such as television, movies, and video games. These bad influences are something parents need to protect their children from.

Television and movies are one of the worst influences on children. Many television shows and movies include crime, violence, sex, and drug and alcohol use. Many of the programs glorify these things. Video games also glorify violence. In today's society, children are more likely to turn to television and video games as forms of entertainment. Children are less likely to read books or play outside. In….....