2006-08-16 22:16:18 · 7 answers · asked by lilly r 1 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
I believe that a parent can contribute to immorality by behaving irresponsibly in front of a youth. Things like letting them drink even if they are underage (that whole "it's better if they do it here under my roof where I can keep an eye on them" thing), or doing drugs in front of them, or driving drunk, or making racist remarks...there are a lot of things, and the "do as I say, not as I do" attitude doesn't cut it. I'm not saying that parents should be perfect, but if they're going to do certain things, like drinking, they should set a good example by not getting plastered, and not driving drunk. If they're going to smoke, they can at least do it outside. Part of it is about what kids are exposed to.
A parent can also contribute to immorality in youth by talking about things they have done without explaining why they stopped. It's one thing to say, "I used to use cocaine, it was the 80's and everyone was doing it" and another thing to say, "I used to use cocaine and I stopped because..." So honesty is important, but it's also important not to glorify certain behaviors or try to act like it only happened because "that was a different decade."
2006-08-16 22:30:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The most educational and pedagogical thing parents can do is to set a good example. Children's minds are "programmed" to learn by imitating, so a good example (repeated many times) leads to good future behavior.
The downside of this tendency to imitate is that bad examples are equally "instructive" to young minds. Even a neutral stance (setting no example at all, good or bad) will have its effect, in that children in that case will have to sort things out on their own, but at the lack of a good reference, may select the wrong approach to (for instance) a moral dilemma.
Let me give you an instance of a bad example, that is not extreme, but may yet have sore consequences. We all at times tell "white lies" and nobody will think that that is a BAD thing. However, a child cannot judge the severity of a lie, but it will recognize it as not telling the truth. WE know a white lie is innocent and often we do not even consider it to be a lie. A child cannot (yet) make such a judgment. So it can become imprinted on its mind that lying is not such a bad thing.
So, the direct answer to your question is: YES, parents can contribute to immorality in youths by providing the wrong (or no) input in their younger and most receptive years.
2006-08-16 22:47:03 · answer #2 · answered by Hi y´all ! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By watching porns or partner switching or maybe by just letting the kids do what they want. If as parents we do not teach our children morality then they do not learn it and that would be the biggest way we wpuld contibute to immorality.
2006-08-16 22:22:01 · answer #3 · answered by wolfy1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Parents pass their values on to their children. If a parent says to their kids, mexicans and blacks are lazy, the kid will believe them until they see evidence for themselves to the contrary. Even if they do see evidence, they may still maintain their belief in what they were taught. The contrary evidence could be discarded as fake or an abberration.
Do you still believe much of what your parents taught you? I would imagine that most people say yes.
2006-08-16 22:24:36 · answer #4 · answered by 006 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should set some moral guidelines and lead by example. Some youths still will do as they please, but they can try to set a good example.
2006-08-16 22:23:06 · answer #5 · answered by kaz1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are really bad examples for their children or they are ignorant and they don't give them the proper education.
2006-08-16 22:22:53 · answer #6 · answered by Hitman 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They set a really bad example.
2006-08-16 22:20:17 · answer #7 · answered by calamity 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋