Is there hope for the younger generations.

[Josef]

I took my wife to Sam's for Sunday lunch as usual. While she checked out, I bought her a Hamburger and me a slice of Pizza and 1 drink. I always stick the drink cup down the front of my shorts and always put the Pizza slices on top of each other while keeping my cane in my right hand. When I started out to find a table, the whole thing came tumbling down with the Pizza upside down, a young man 12 to 14 years old jumped up picked up the hamburger, threw the Pizza away and asked if he could help. Sam's replaced the Pizza free. I tell you this story to show there is definitely hope for the newer generations.

 

[85Hokie]

there are a few that "get it" .....I hope more will, as that frontal lobe closes as they get older!

Good story of someone who was raised correctly.

 

[D2Cat]

Ya, it's a good testimony of the young man's actions to help. I think at that age I would have kept the pizza for a snack, a little dirt doesn't hurt!

 

[Stmar]

I guess it takes all kinds. I have been pleasantly surprised when a young person opens a door or calls you sir, still can't get used to that, lol. It seems there are more good out there than bad. I have a couple of nephews that are as different as night and day, just like my brother and me, and I wonder how in the heck the younger one is ever going to make it in this world. He is a 30 year old that acts like a 16 year old and his mother fosters that mentality. He is a nice kid and polite but very self centered and mindless. His brother was not coddled and is a responsible father and has a great career going.
Is there hope for the younger generation? I think so, but they sure don't do things the way we did. I guess we just try to reinforce good behavior when we see it.

 

[jmf78]

Of course there's plenty of hope for us!! Oh, wait, i don't think I'm included in that demographic anymore. [emoji17]

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[hodge]

There is. I am a youth pastor, and we have seen group after group cycle through (it's senior high- a 4 year program), and 98% have been outstanding, respectable young people.
My lowly opinion is that there is hope, just not as many. There is quality, but not as much quantity. To expand my opinion, that's because there are fewer quality parents. I had two phrases of wisdom pop up on my facebook memories today, ironically-
"The best youth pastor in the world can't out-impact a parent."
Pastor Rick Lawrence
"The family is where spiritual nurture takes place." Dr. Walt Mueller

 

[jmf78]

"The best youth pastor in the world can't out-impact a parent."
Pastor Rick Lawrence
"The family is where spiritual nurture takes place." Dr. Walt Mueller

This 1,000 times over.
Dinner at the dining room table rather than in front of the tv.
Saying grace prior to dinner.
Bedtime prayers.
Getting scared in the middle of the night, running to the parents room and reciting Psalm 23 to place at ease.
Proper discipline when I'd done wrong even though it was my big brothers idea.

I know i wouldn't be the person that i am if my parents didn't instill good values in me. Those whoopin's paid off and I'm thankful for every one of them.

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[Stmar]

Seems like most of us grew up with similar influences, what I would call a normal upbringing. Now you have a personality like Denzel Washington saying the issue is a kid growing up without a strong male figure in his life and the media is crucifying him. Shows that lack of common sense is not just for the younger generation but alive and well on the liberal left. What can we do? Keep voting and eventually we may get true representation in our decision makers.

 

[Bulldog777]

Parenting is WORK. Many are too lazy to teach/ discipline their own kids, but want too tell everyone else what is wrong with their kids.
You can tell the kids that have had good parenting/ mentoring. They have self discipline because of being disciplined.
Too much media these days. TVs are babysitters, phones have become playmates, and parents are more worried about Facebook, etc., than spending time as a family.
*putting up soapbox

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[vvbigbb]

I have to keep reminding myself of my youth. I knew nothing of what America was like before I was born and I don't expect any more from the present generation, all I can say is, our parents are what made us what we are today and my parents never stopped being great parents and i don't mean ones that gave many great gifts and allowed me to be disrespectful of America, or my elders or of my religion. Few youth today are respectful, but they must have great parents, a disappearing ideology.

 

[Butch]

What gets me is the youth today are not being taught to be adults. My one neighbor is a principal at a middle school and some of the things seventh graders say to their teachers today would have gotten my ass busted with the "board" of education at school and another whopp'n when I got home.
I have another neighbor whose son graduated from Ohio University in journalism who is not yet 30 says I am an old white man that does not get it... he is a socialist who believes everything for all and says it is working in the rest of the world. He graduated debt free as daddy refied their home to pay for it... . He actually told me it was his parents responsibility to pay his way through school. I don't get it. When I and guys like me grew up if we wanted something we had to plan and work for it. Times have changed... that is for sure.

 

[Utopia Texas]

The blame needs to be put on us Baby Boomers who raised the current younger generation without traditional values and coddled them to where they expect everything to be done for them. I am not optimistic about the future of the U.S.
The Millenial generation and those afterwards is larger in population than is Baby Boomers and as we die off they will vote the U.S. into a socialist state where they expect the government to take care of all their needs. What they don't appear to understand is that those that give out the goodies will also have the power to take whatever they want, be it your income or your freedoms.

 

[Butch]

Unfortunately you are correct. We raised two boys and I was out of town a lot. They learned to work at an early age. My oldest when he turned 18 and was out of high school tried to sow some unhealthy oats and old dad put the skids to that. He said I was too strict and he was leaving home.... he did. Get a grip on this.... he joined the Marines. My wife said "OH my baby is leaving home.... and going to some place called Paris Island". The DI's made the recruits write home every week.... in each letter he told his younger brother to "listen to dad" you do not even know the meaning of "strict". That was the best thing he could have ever done.... he was in for two and came out a man that lived to lead. He has been with Dow Chemical for 26 years and my youngest son is a maintenance supervisor for NGK Automotive Division.

They did well... and as the icing on the cake.... We have a granddaughter that has lived with us since she was 8. She graduated high school last year and has a full time job now and is switching shifts to evening so she can take classes during the day. She is transiting to an adult much faster than the boys. All three of the "kids" can't understand the mindset of the millennials... The call them snowflakes... I am pleased no drugs, smoking, or drinking.... social drinking maybe.... just not in front of the parents..

 

[D2Cat]

Well Butch you and Utopia Texas pretty much described the problem and the cause. Until parents decide being a parent is important to their offspring the problem will only get worse.

Your example testifies to the effect of discipline in decision making to result in effective, productive adults.

Your neighbor is an example of "spare the rod, spoil the child" and ending up with a human that isn't capable of effective leadership or responsible living when in a free country. His daddy trained him to be entitled, and he learned well.

 

[Mike.O]

Well as a millennial, I can say there is hope.

I'm 26. Raised by working class parents. Dad in construction, Mom delivered mail. Was fortunate enough to have Gram help out with college. Studied civil Engineering. Employed in my field for 6 years. GF of 9 years, she's been a teacher for 4 years (also 26).

We bought a home in the town we grew up in 2 years ago. We own a brand new B2650 tractor, a new truck and are debt free, with the exception of the mortgage and the truck payment.

The weekends are for working around the house, not drinking beer and hanging around. (Well the beer does get drank after the weekend projects are complete ) We fix our own things, we remodel our house on our own.

Its unfortunate that the older generation has decided to jump to the assumption that everyone in the "millennial" age bracket is as you have described.

 

[Creature Meadow]

My little girl Ella will turn 3 on Christmas Eve and many here that follow my posts know her.

We thought getting some chickens(8) would be good for her to begin to learn responsibility and aid in other ways in development. She helps me each night get up eggs, count babies on roost to ensure all are safe, she counts them been doing so since 2 1/2, feed them, water them, and date each egg.

They have been great for her and by me selling the eggs she was able to fund half of our initial investment to her 529 college fund ($500.00). It was not without our help but she helps almost every day with them, she loves it. She goes with me to get chicken food and hands cashier the money and puts her change back in bank bag for me to keep safe for her.

In short there is hope but the parents have to lead by example and teach there kid(s) to be productive citizens.

We eat dinner together most every night and we sure better not start to eat without saying grace and not go to bed at night without taking new prayer request.

Non related but funny. We carried Katie to back side of property to bury some some remains from cleaning some deer. Dug a hole with front bucket dumped in remains and covered. I told her to let me know if anyone ever messed on her and I would bury them like I did the deer remains she thought it was funny, I was just joking well a little.

She tugged on Pastor Paul's pants at church next day and told him that DaDa said if you mess on me he will dig hole and bury you, the look I got...I explained and laughter began..

Hope is in the parents being parents and the kids will grow up in most cases to be productive.

On way home one night she asked where mommy was I told her at Kiwanis meeting she said why I said they help people with a focus on kids. Her response at 2 1/2, dada I want to be a fireman like you so I can help people and like mommy so I call help babies.

Good day my friends.

Jay

We make work fun...

 

[Butch]

Guys... I am going to tell you what the most best and rare rewards a dad can get in a lifetime. My oldest Marine son is not only raising his kids to be adults.... He told me he is raising them that way because, "Pop I am just like you... ".

 

[Butch]

Jay... you nailed it... keep it up and keep the faith because as she gets older it is gonna get tough. I am the oldest of six and I have two sisters. We grew up in a hollow in WV and they did not have the opportunity to get out much. I did because we had a family business of drilling wells, the old way by cable tool, and pump service. I remember going out on the rig for the day standing in the bench seat of a 51 Ford dump truck... our rig tender. Even if the truck hit a bump... my head never touched the roof of the cab. From that age I ONLY had time to go to school and work in the evenings with Pop on pump calls or prepping the tender for the next day, or in the summer working pawpaw's truck farm. To this day at 68 I have no clue as to how to play basketball, a little about football, and a working knowledge of baseball. As I was growing up I felt used and slighted I was not like the other kids. Let me tell what I unwillingly traded for that.

I became the youngest person in WV to be a licensed well driller. Pop started taking contracts that required professional licensing so back then all you had to do was take a test and show proof of experience and references where the new licensing board(s) could inspect your work. I received my Master Electrician License first and then Master Plumber and finally HVAC. Pop and Pawpaw taught me to be hands on, provided me the the freedom to "play" with tools like electrical instrumentation, welders, torches and shop machinery ... and my curiosity to take that knowledge a step further. It was not until the late 70's that a registered engineer (PE) stamp was required to design... so we decided I would figure out how to get that PE... I went to college at night, however, about 3 years in Pop wanted to get into water treatment.... so I deviated from engineering and into chemistry. I left the company in 1986 for better pay and opportunity.... but still even to this day do my brothers engineering (Prepping drawings for PE review and stamp) all their water chemistry needs and job design discussions. Pop is now 86... and still questions EVERYTHING we do in HIS business... works for me. That was how I was raised.... and damn proud of it.

Oh yehhhh... my two younger sisters.... Guys I was 17 before I figured out PMS did NOT mean pretty mean sisters...

 

[Butch]

You are in the minority... you get it. And this is good. I see young folk going to college to "find" themselves and an ill prepared focus on what they need to do there to really prepare for their future. College degrees do not guarantee a job career today especially if they are in the humanities. I have a friend who son got a Masters Degree in Philosophy... he has a good job now and actually does pretty well to support his family, however his earning power is limited as a bar tender. He wants to have his own up scale eatery... but he lacks business education and experience. By the time he learns this by OJT he will be in his upper thirties to forties if then.

My granddaughter, who has lived with us since she was about eight, wants to study art... however she is going to have a duel major with the second being education.... a high school math teacher. She says an just maybe the school will let her teach a creative art class in conjunction with her math schedule. Thank God there are people out there like you!

 

[skeets]

CM you have a good start for that little girl your doing good, just remember when say grows up and says she hates you,,, she doesnt ,,, they all do it to some degree. Thats funny about the burying thing,, I did manage to tell one of the grand daughters boy friend ,after he was playing some silly touch and giggle in front of Grandpap, That I do have 40 acres and a back hoe, the kid never came back,,lol