The erosion of the morals on which society was founded can be seen most distinctly in the next generation.

Gangs: “A national study by the Home Office estimates that approximately 6 percent of all boys and girls aged 10 to 19 – or around 50,000 people – are members of gangs.”

Dysfunctional Homes: “The ‘big cause,’ Mr. Blair said, lay with alienated youths from dysfunctional families living outside ‘any canons of proper behavior’ – a phenomenon affecting most modern societies in the developed world.” (UK’s Cameron: Will Mend Broken Society after the Riots)

Prostitution: “New child-sex-trafficking research demolishes the stereotype of the underage sex worker. According to this research, 45% of child prostitutes in New York are boys.”

Human Trafficking: “A staggering 46% of all trafficking in the United States feed prostitution. The average age of beginning in prostitution in the US is 13.” (Stop Child Slavery).

Pedophilia: “One of every seven victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement were under age 6.” (CPIU)

Substance Abuse: “Of the 83,000 school pupils questioned for the report, results revealed that 4% of 12 year olds are regularly consuming 28 units of alcohol every week — the equivalent of drinking 19 glasses of wine per week.” (BBC)

Depression: “At any point in time, 1 in every 10 children and adolescents are affected by serious emotional disturbances.” (http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov)

Risk-Taking Behavior: “The 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated that over a thirty day span, 29.1% of high school students surveyed had ridden in a car with a driver who had been drinking alcohol and 18% had carried a weapon. Over a 12 month span, 6.9% of high school students had attempted suicide, 75% had drunk alcohol, and 47.8% had sexual intercourse.” (www.cdc.gov)

“Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-to-24-year-olds, among this age group, suicide accounts for 12.3% of all deaths. In 2007, 6.9% of high school student surveyed through the Youth Risk Behavior Survey indicated they had attempted suicide in the last 12 months, and 14.5% had seriously considered attempting suicide.” (www.cdc.gov)

Rising Dropout Rate: “Nearly 6.2 million students in the United States between the ages of 16 and 24 in 2007 dropped out of high school.” (CNN)

One of the main causes for children taking the wrong path is simply a growing lack of purpose in life.

In order to ensure their well-being, we have to teach our children about the era we are entering and how vital it is for all of humanity. They must understand that we are living in a time where everything is interconnected, where everyone is a part of a single family, and everyone is dependent upon everyone else. It is an era where we must reeducate ourselves and our children to become global and integral elements of society. In this manner children will discover their uniqueness, and how each of them can provide the world with a unique contribution. It is only at that point, when children grasp the big picture, that they will feel responsible for their part in society.