Family Values On The Run?

What has happened to good old-fashioned family values? We are tampering with the very foundations of our society and corrupting the building blocks of our communities.

I was entertained for dinner by a much younger family member last Thursday evening. When the time came to sit down, only one of their four children were present. The youngest had his food in front of the TV, the next one did not feel like eating and preferred to play games on the laptop, the eldest was out at a friend and would get his food later while the young lady who did honor us with her presence sat there texting for the duration.

I can recall dinner to be the climax of the day when I was a child and nobody dared missing it. Only serious illness saw you getting your food in the bedroom. Not that anybody would have wanted to miss out on it. This was prime time for the entire family; a time when everybody’s day was discussed; quality time spent together by the entire family. The only event in the week that had a higher popularity was Sunday lunch.

It seems that families don’t do things together anymore. When we went to the beach, everybody had to go, when we went camping or visiting other family members, everybody went along. It is no wonder parents, children and siblings drift apart nowadays. They no longer form a unit and no longer spend time together; they only share the same dwelling. I think I can understand why teenage suicide and teenage drug usage are on the rise.

Families are the building blocks of our communities and happy families build happy communities. Happy communities build happy nations.

Is it not time to get our old family values back? A bit of routine and discipline can do no harm to anybody.


A very good day to all of you.