EMO
Ivan, how about a few sentences of context on this story. Is this widespread? Does it cut across all social groups? Is it "a broad strata of British society"?
I don't entirely believe anything that has a BBC byline.
...
Southern European nations with a strong Catholic tradition and a focus on the family do not share the same level of delinquency.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmm....
All of these disorders are the INEVITABLE consequences of real-world socialism.
Southern European nations with a strong Catholic tradition and a focus on the family do not share the same level of delinquency ...statistically children brought up by two married, biological parents do better than those from single parent families or people cohabiting.
Wow, who'd a thunk?
Personally, I'm insulted. I do a great job with my kids, despite the fact that I keep switching jobs to avoid the court taking out for child support. My babies mama does a good enough job. And I come by with my girlfriend du jour frequently (sometimes), so I'm not an absentee father.
Owl_Eagle
If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.
From the original BBC news report:
'On every indicator of bad behaviour - drugs, drink, violence, promiscuity - the UK was at or near the top, said the Institute for Public Policy Research.
The institute looked at the results of a number of studies of adolescents conducted in recent years.
The researchers believe the country's record can be explained by a collapse in family and community life in the UK.
Measured against German, French and Italian youngsters, British 15-year-olds are drunk more often and involved in more fights, and a higher proportion have had sex.
The institute says young Britons are marked out by how they spend their free time.
In England, 45% of 15-year-old boys spend most evenings out with their friends, and in Scotland the figure is 59%.
In France just 17% of boys spend their time in the same way.
On the other hand, European teenagers tend to sit down for meals with their parents far more often.
Some 93% of Italian teenagers eat regularly with their families; in the UK just 64% of 15-year-olds do the same. '
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108302.stm
It doesn't have to be the traditional nuclear family although statistically children brought up by two married, biological parents do better than those from single parent families or people cohabiting.
IMHO, it's pretty easy to see the demise of the traditional nuclear family as being the cause of nearly all of this.
Teens have been teens for as long as we've been on the planet. It's a time of struggle - a search for ones' identity, and a time to establish a bit of separation from ones' parents.
But the foundations for surviving this time need to be laid early - kids with values, and kids who FEEL valued (not in material things, but the feeling that their parents genuinely care enough for them as people to spend time with them, to listen to them, and to help them aquire the skills they need to become good adults) will by and large come out of this time intact, all the wiser for the lessons learned from a few stupid moves.
I know too many people who think that once their kids are out of diapers, that the "hard work" is over. From that time on, all they think they need to do is give them stuff. It's nearly as damaging as just letting them run wild.
In an effort to systematically eliminate childhood, with its universal rituals and hazards (friendships, ostracization, bullying, cliques, etc.) the do-gooders have created a closely-watched-but-never-disciplined culture of yobs who are isolated emotionally and physically.
They are smart enough to know the rules and to know that most rules aren't applied stringently and they are young and dumb enough to let their base natures take over frequently.
Maybe if we had more kids, we'd eventually have more adults instead of little robots and big robots.