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FAMILY TOGETHERNESS
-
The fomily thot ploys together, eots together,
ond communicates throughout the year, will stay together.
father is really kind of pseudo-hip.
I
really pity him because
he's ve1-y weak."
What Rosemary nceds and craves is
an understanding, strong father who
will exercise the leadcrship of thc fam–
ily. She docsn't want another hippie–
type friend! Speaking of hcr father she
says: "Like he has good principies and
good morals, but he docsn't do any–
thing about it."
Our youth crave direction and a
strong hand to guide them. Every par–
ent should
be
doing cverything possible
for preschool children in laying thc
foundation of discipline and right
teaching.
Many parents
try
to use discipline but
don't know when, why, or how to!
They may try corporal punishment, but
instead of helping, it only succeeds in
driving their children furthcr away in
hatred!
Take the case of Frank, a 17-year-old
senior. He complains about his father:
T he Wrong Kind of Discipline
"My fathcr used to bcat ... me. l'm
making more out of it than there is
actually, but I gucss it sticks in my
mind. Sorne of the teachers used to send
me borne with failure notices, warning
slips. They carne hom<: weekly. On fri–
day, there'd
be
a collection in my desk
and throughout the year they'd be in
folders.
"My father used to tack them to my .
bulletin board as a reminder, all these
fa ilure notices. Well, it carne to a point
where
I
wouldn't even bother going
home because
I
knew I'd get killed.
Well, he'd hit me, the whole scene
where your father hits you in the face,
your mother is in the background, yel–
ling '.... don't hurt his face, don't hit
him in the head.' My father would go,
'Oh, shut up.' Pow, pow - the whole
scene."
Is
this a loving parent? Is this dis–
cipline? Will this bring about commu–
nication or respect?
Hear
F
rank's conclusion: "There's no
communication and there never will
be."
Do you see the extremes in child rear–
ing? One parent tries to be a pal to his
children and the olher uses <.:xtremc
corporal punishment. Othcr par<:nts
become too busy to spend time with
19
their children - to understand them -
to provide the guidance they need. In
all cases the children end up hating and
despising their parents.
One teen-age girl summarized the
feelings of many teen-agers when she
was asked: "Do you have prívate
moments with your father where you sit
clown over coffee and he tells you
something ?"
"No.' '
"Do you wish you did ?"
"No, I try to avoid that sort of
thing ..."
She continues:
"l
bave no rapport
with my father.
1
don't think there's
anything binding my father and me.
I
never got any sex education when
I
was
younger.
I
carne by it,
I
guess like most
girls my age do, in school, dirty jokes,
dirty books."
Does this describe your home?
What have you
laught
your children?
In an interview with Mike, a Peno
State junior and member of the
NROTC, a candid statement about his
parents is brought forth.
"I
never got
one iota of sex training from my par–
ents ...
1
think parents are very nalve."
He says further about his motber:
"l
can't sit clown and talk with my mother
about sometbiog that's bugging me.''
Thcse young people are not unusual.
These parents are not, unfortunately, a
rarity in our society! These family situ–
ations are typical!
When we consider the breakdown of
the home, the terribly unhappy mar–
riages, the declining role of father, the
changed role of mother-
is
it any won–
der our societies are literally coming
apart thread by thread? The fabric that
underlies a healthy society - the home
itself - is being ripped apart.
What can you - parents and chil–
drcn - do to see that this generation
will grow up to
be
sound, respectful,
useful citizens in a world running
amuck?
What Can You Do?
The answer involves one basic con–
sideration.
You
CANNOT BE A GOOD FATHER
UNLP.SS YOU ARE FlRST
A
GOOD HUS·
llANO! ANO YOU CANNOT BE A GOOO