Children not acquiring basic moral values as today's adults poor role models
Pastor Dale Morgan
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From The Times
June 30, 2008
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Children not acquiring basic moral values as today's adults poor role
models*
Rosemary Bennett
Children are not acquiring basic moral values because today's generation
of adults are such poor role models, a leading charity said yesterday.
Research by the Children's Society suggests that two thirds of adults
believe that the moral values of young people have declined considerably
since the time when they were young.
The charity, which questioned 1,176 people, said that consumerism, the
rise of the celebrity culture and weakening family bonds were
undermining traditional moral values among young people. But it also
blamed adults for failing to engage with children and being too eager to
criticise their behaviour rather than intervening and helping them to
navigate the challenges of modern life.
The society is conducting a two-year project into modern childhood in
Britain. Its latest findings are in a paper focusing on values.
Bob Reitemeier, chief executive of the society, said that adults needed
to take more responsibility for the young people around them. “We reap
what we sow when it comes to teaching children values. Every adult plays
a vital role, which we should nurture as much as we can. Unfortunately,
it is easier to criticise children than to invest in them, and it is the
children most in need of positive role models who are becoming
disconnected from their communities and wider society.”
The society will publish its final report and recommendations in 2009.