How are we supposed to teach our children morals if...?

Question

all we see in society is women and men openly standing up for their beliefs. Gay be want their rights. Everywhere you look,Sex is acceptable from music videos to advertisements. Do you believe that we as a society expose too much? Does anyone stop to think that we as parents have to explain these to our children and try to make sense? Does anyone believe that sometimes it is better to not expose every bit of your opinions about the things that you are so headstrong about. Save all the drama. There are parents out there with alot of explaining to do when we should't . Has anyone heard of "To Know and Be Silent"

Answer 1

Think about it this way... once upon a time, thousands of years ago, everything was exposed. Before humans existed in societies, there was no such thing as censorship, or conservatism, or shame. We lived like animals, doing what we wanted, when we wanted, with the only repercussion being death if you did something very stupid.

As people became civilized, they formed groups, and later societies. People were stronger, safer and essentially happier coexisting in groups, so certain things had to be sanctioned in order to maintain the harmony of the majority. Leaders emerged, rules were created, which eventually became laws, and so on.

Unfortunately, the more people you have in a group, the more individual ideas and opinion exist. To maintain order, the first societies were governed through oppression. Might made right. Many of the laws and customs in those days would be considered brutal or just plain ridiculous today, but people were just beginning to become civilized, so extreme measures were necessary if we were to advance. In particular, theocratic governments laid down many of the harshest (and some would say most insane) laws, but the populations needed to be controlled, and fear of damnation was a highly effective method. This fear is so pervasive that it survives in society to this day, but human beings are funny creatures, and one thing you can count on is that when you censor a behavior that is innate and natural, people will engage in that behavior no matter what the consequence. This is precisely why you see so much sex in the media.

As egalitarian thinking has became more widespread, democracies have replaced theocracies and dictatorships. Now, instead of might making right, majority makes right. This is the world we live in today.

Ideas of what is acceptable and unacceptable are decided by the majority of people. It could be said that our society is slowly moving back to those primitive days of pure hedonism, but all that is really happening is people are rediscovering their human nature, unencumbered by the mantle of fear.

Look, sex itself is not bad, but teen pregnancy, STDs and rape are. Violence is a fact of life, but it doesn't need to be glorified. Drugs and alcohol are pervasive when people are denied enjoyment through natural healthy pursuits.

A person can exist in a hurricane of amoral behavior and remain unaffected if they follow PRINCIPLE BASED THINKING. That is how you teach your children. Do not try to impose a belief system on them and expect they will follow it. This rarely works. Do not shield them from reality and think you are helping them. Educated your children. Knowledge is power. Children are individuals, and they will grow up to believe whatever "feels" right to them, based on the examples and information you supply. Expose them to "true north" principles and the concept of reaping what you sow, and they will be able to contend with any type of society.

The truth is, you cannot protect your children forever. At some point they will take what you give them and go out in the insane world to "make their way." How they will do depends entirely on the tools you give them to cope with it.

Answer 2

I think it's important to change with the times. And I've noticed a slow progression to "tolerance" if you will, in society. For example, going to the mall you may see a gay couple holding hands. It may make you do a double take, but you wouldn't be shocked into fainting. Now thirty years ago, it wouldn't happen. At all. No way, now how. There were gay movie stars that kept their sexuality so hush hush, many of us didn't know they were gay until they died. Now, it's not so out of the ordinary to flip through your television stations and find a gay couple making out. Heck, just watch MTV's show Next. They have same sex dating and making out all the time. My point is, with tolerance comes a lack of innocence. Especially when it comes to our children. I think parents just need to go back to some good old fashion rules. Give children age appropriate answers, monitor what they are exposed to, and live by "do as I say and do" instead of "do as I say, not as I do". And that's my .02.

Answer 3

Sounds like you are trying to shelter your children from the real world. If you do not teach your children about these things in society from your view point and with your morals and values, they will learn through other means, other children at school and the people you describe. If for what ever reason they do not learn these things some way, then life will be a huge shock to them when they finally enter society and find out that they are totally unprepared to deal with what they will encounter in life.

This is exactly the time to teach your children your values and your beliefs, others stand up for theirs, you need to stand for yours. If you are afraid that your values and beliefs will not stand up to the test of society, and not to be rude or judgmental, maybe you should reevaluate your standpoint in life. Children will mold to what you teach them, and if the values are just, they will stick. Children will naturally form their own opinions on how things work the more and more they are shown different faucets of our society and it is up to the parents to ensure these children can cope and grow to become functioning and productive members of the society.

Better to get the "Birds and the Bees", the dope on drugs, and what ever else from you than the guy down the street.

Answer 4

World society changed and still is changing. Yes, you're going to have to explain each and every single time to your children those aspects in life you're embarrassed about. Live with it.

And your nonsense of "all we see in society is women and men openly standing up for their beliefs" is utterly and completly stupid. The sin, milady, is seeing wrong and doing nothing. What are you scared of?

"To know and be silent"? What an insanequote. You're not making a very good fit into democracy.

World society is changing...live with it.

Answer 5

Yes we are suppose to teach our kid's morals and conviction. To just stand by and allow others to do all the teaching is in its self a lack of power. Let the people of the world say what they want and have the free will given by the Lord, know in the end is the very up most judgment. Do for the kid's what others have fallen short of doing. All we can do is instruct and structure our lives to what we hope will show them the way. Believe this, it's not easy and I wish you the best.

Answer 6

So standing up for your beliefs is wrong? I agree children are exposed to too much too soon, but I would rather have a knowledgeable child than an ignorant, prejudiced child. And I think open communication with kids of all ages is a very positive thing!

Answer 7

AWESOME Q Bobby! Yes, I truely believe that Society forces us to explain certain things that we should'nt have to, Sometimes at an age where the Child will not be able to grasp the true meaning. This World is Getting WAY TOO Corrupt! And No, I have not heard of-"To know and Be Silent", Sorry.

Answer 8

It is your job as a parent to explain the world to your kids. You can instill morals by being an excellent role model and expose your children to things that you believe to be positive. In the end, you can only provide your children with good foundations and hope that they make the right choices.

Answer 9

Don't worry about society. The way you raise your kids is your job not societies. despite what's going on in the world the best thing you can do is spend time with your kids. mold their minds. Growing up, my parents rarely had time to be around me and my brother due to service in the army. yet they still raised two decent sons. the secret to coping with their world is to open yourself up and let them ask advice of what they need. i don't think exposure is too much, it helps build a strong mind for what's up and coming.... if they don't want to see it they will look away, all you need to do is explain why it is that some things are done. don't worry about making sense, if you show that you care they will listen, even if it doesn't make sense they still walk away with the information your trying to put across; that is as long as your calm and cool about it, the biggest mistake is to get irate and frustrated, this only makes your kids block out what your trying to put across. don't do any UN-needed explaining, if they want to know they'll ask, what kids today know would surprise you.

Answer 10

You teach your children morals by setting a good and tolerant example. We live in a society that for the first time parents can be open with their children about everything from sexual preference to when it is appropriate to be in a relationship. You shouldn't look at the world like what can I shield my child from today. You should look at the world and say what can I teach my child about today. We have no taboos any more teenagers don';t have to learn about sex in whispers or hide themselves if they are "different". This is a great time to be alive and raise children. You can learn a lot from your child, look at the world through their eyes.