GOING THE WAY OF THE WORLD
The most important self help information needed today begins with the family. More than 23 million juvenile cases were processed through the juvenile courts from 1985 through 2000 and that number is going up since 2000 when non-arrests are included. Most states vary from upper age jurisdiction for juvenile court from ages 15 to 17. Why is this happening? The answer is simple. Today we have become a self-interest culture and the kids are the losers. Let’s look at the fallout and the collateral damage. America has a 53% divorce rate. Many of the divorced spouses regardless of who has permanent custody of the kids believe the way to maintain the allegiance of the kids is to become their friend and forego their parental responsibility. With this approach parents deny the kids the very same thing that made strong characters out of them-a little adversity, disappointment, discipline and responsibility. Kids are smart and they know how to play the game. With the tremendous marketing forces in the world today much of it is directed toward kids. This includes Internet, drugs, tobacco, sex and dozens of other character traps kids are permitted to wander off into. Not to mention cell phones, computer type products, I-pods and dozens of other “things” to short-circuit worthwhile study habits, work habits and thinking habits. Self-help is all about thinking, planning and working a plan. Think about this! The family is the laboratory of society. Whatever comes out of that laboratory is what we will get in society.


