Our children are more addicted, depressed, materialistic, anxious, and emotionally unstable than were our grandparents. In fact they are FOUR times as likely to commit suicide as were kids from the 1950’s. The new “at risk” category will surprise you. The kids suffering the most in terms of emotional disorders are from families of affluence. Teen girls from privileged homes are THREE times as likely to suffer from depression as the norm. Money is not the problem; a lack of meaning is.
Yesterday I spent 90 minutes with our cities leading addiction lawyer, Brad Koffel,and learned of case after case that broke my heart. Our schools are filled with drugs that mask the emotional pain of the students. Our malls attract them to feel better by buying something. Our kids are growing up thinking that this is the norm. You feel bad; you shop. You feel worse; you get high. You feel worthless; you have a casual hookup. You feel cut to the bone, torn up inside, and you learn that all life offers to soothe your pain is a tiny band-aid of sorts. Our kids are learning to look to “external” resources to make themselves feel better. Designer jeans only do the trick for a season or so.
Our job, as parents is to model the way, embrace the pain and suffering, and embody truth in LOVE. Our job is to show our children the proper way to deal with real emotional pain. Our job is to help them to build their own inner resources that can carry them through the toughest of days. Our children need to see parents with a strong CORE.
Your kids are going to be headed into some serious choppy waters. The time to build your inner strength will NOT be in the moment when you need it. Build now. Your kids are watching. When they look at Y.O.U., what do they see? I know that I have some building to do. I know that my biggest building project is inside of me. I know that I have a lot of work to do on closing my own integrity gaps. I’ve got some REAL, HARD, WORK ahead. God, help me keep looking to you for strength, wisdom, and hope. God, help me.
Remember, none of us can lead another further than we’ve gone ourselves…
BUILT TO LEAD 