Raising tomorrow’s leaders takes intentional acts

    I look around at the leaders of our country, whether they are government leaders, community leaders or leaders in our own jobs, and I see that many lack moral substance. They are well educated, intelligent individuals, but they lack moral character and a desire to unselfishly serve the community. I ask myself, do people lose their integrity when they rise to power or was there something lacking in their upbringing?
    You don’t have to look very far to see that our society focuses more on teaching children the skills they need to grow up to be “what” they want to be than on teaching the values they need to grow up to be “who” they should become.
    Being the mother of a teenager and two young adults has given me the opportunity to interact with many teens from different walks of life. I have found a common denominator among them that seems disturbing to me – many teens today lack spirituality in their lives. They are good kids, but they don’t have a relationship with Jesus, and most don’t go to church. Their parents focus more on teaching them the skills they need to succeed in the world than on teaching them the values they need to live a good life.
Good jobs or good values?
    These parents expect their teens to excel in school, participate in numerous extracurricular activities and socialize with the “right” people with the goal of being accepted into good colleges, which will lead to good jobs in the future. However, it appears to me that there is little effort devoted to helping the teens grow in faith and teaching them to use their talents for the benefit of others.
    As Christian parents, we have a responsibility to help our children develop a relationship with Jesus, to teach them to be grateful for the blessings they have and to teach them to care for their fellow man. These are the values that are going to help our children live a good and fruitful life. A relationship with Jesus will build moral conscience and character. With prayer, they will gain the wisdom to make good decisions in their lives. Helping our children develop a strong faith in God is one of the most important missions I have as a parent. I talk to my children about my faith and tell them why my relationship with God is important.
    On the topic of gratitude, maybe we parents have as much difficulty recognizing blessings in our lives as our teenagers do. We often are so consumed in comparing ourselves to those who have more than we do that we neglect to recognize how much we have and how fortunate we are. I have found that a way of developing a grateful attitude is to compare myself to those who have less than I do. I try to focus on the things I have and not on what I am lacking. I often remind my children how blessed we are and how good God is to us.
    Lastly, I teach my children the value of sacrificing for the good of others. Our purpose in life is not to live for ourselves but to serve God and our fellow man. Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:40, “Whatsoever you did for the least of my brothers, that you did for me.” When it comes to this, I try to lead by example. I volunteer my time in different ministries in our church parish so that my children will see that service is an important part of being a Christian. I remind my children that service to our family is as important as service to strangers.
    I encourage you to reflect on your parenting style. Have you focused your energies on teaching your children life skills or have you focused on teaching values? Do not underestimate your role as a parent. You are raising tomorrow’s leaders. Spend your energy and time teaching your children the important values they need to make this world a better place.
    Judith Gutierrez is a member of St. Clement of Rome Parish.