Family Values Essay, Research Paper

As I was wondering about what to write about, I realized that the debilitation of the family unit is what causes so many of the problems today. Drugs, sex, and violence are all prompted by a lack of respect for bodies and other people. Children need to be loved, encouraged, and taught. Without proper guidance a child will not have the confidence or knowledge to make good, morally sound decisions.

I feel that the rebuilding of family values will enable children to become responsible adults and leaders. I have seen many kids who come from divorced parents continue on a downward spiral not because they are bad kids, but because they don’t know how to stop themselves from falling due to inefficient parenting.

America is still strong, but destructive forces have been and are at work. There is a serious unsteadiness in our country’s stance in terms of morality, ethics, principles, and behavior. As a nation we have increasingly neglected and abandoned time-honored virtues that have been proven through the centuries to keep human beings individually, and collectively, strong. Parents are psychological and spiritual mirrors to children. A child’s identity is filtered through the beliefs and behaviors of their parent. That’s a heavy load for many parents who didn’t grow up in a spiritual or moral home or feel too overwhelmed by life to try and be “perfect” in front of their children. Not having moral models, in parents own lives, may mean that being a moral mirror is difficult, it is never too late to develop one’s own spirituality. Spending time with children is essential to their development of self-esteem and will one day lead to how they will parent their own children. Too many parents are buying their children’s love; parents have to realize the importance their presence has. Distant parents produce children who have never developed the people skills you need to succeed in life.

I feel that without a strong and involved upbringing a child will fall through the cracks in a society where everyone is fighting for their own success and won’t stop to help a struggling person. We can rebuild America’s foundation. It will take a while but a return to the values and traditions that this country was founded on will be a welcome change.

I have had the privilege of growing up in a very supportive home, where I was unconditionally loved. My family instilled in me the values that I carry with me everywhere and they are a part of who I am as well as what I pride myself on. These are such values as honesty, integrity, respect, honor, truthfulness, loyalty, trust, and reliability. I feel I owe it to my parents and family to create a positive image of them when I am away from them. Whatever I do reflects on them and I make sure that whatever I do, I do it good and responsibly. I am very grateful for my family but at the same time realize that not everyone had the opportunities I was given.