How many times have we heard conversations between people which ended with “today’s youth is simply terrible, with no concern for anyone but themselves.”

How many times have we complained that they are close to being delinquents and that they treat their home like a hotel, coming and going as they please, their clothes strewn all over the house and that saying a respectful word to their parents is like asking them to offer one year of their salary (if they’re working) to some charitable institution? But – and here comes the crunch – in reality, is it really their fault that they turned out to be such “monsters”?

How many times during their growing-up years have we taught them that love and concern for others are more important than careers and money? How many times have we taught them that moral values are 10 times more important than mere objects? How many times have we had a conversation with them, trying to teach them that good principles are more comfortable to live with than sheer commodities?

How many times have we noted with utmost importance the cleanliness of their teeth rather than the “cleanliness” of their use of language? How many parents have taken on the wearisome task of giving particular attention what to buy from their favourite supermarket yet denied the right to a child to open his heart to his parents?

How many times have we totally forgotten how important Sunday Mass is and how their encounter with Jesus Christ through the rosary or meditation is and shamelessly sent them to piano, football or ballet lessons without giving a thought to the fact that to leave God of one’s life is like entering room after room in the middle of the night without any lights on? How many times have we told them to take up various hobbies and learn as many subjects as they could, with religion taking the last place on their agenda?

How many times we as parents were adamant to keep up with the Joneses by having a beautiful house, holidays abroad, suppers at fantastic restaurants yet found no time to have sincere dialogues with our children? How many times should we have prepared them to love God as they love themselves yet denied them all this to the extent that they have time for everything that gives them pleasure except time for their maker.

And then we wonder why they turned out to be such obstinate youths with a heart of steel. Today’s children have the tendency to be withdrawn, and at times stentorian and subversive because alas, some of us brought them up that way.

Valerie Borg

Valletta