I HAVE always questioned why we never seem to develop from the bottom up and prepare the children for the future challenges rather than hand them down existing rules and laws that are sometimes flawed.
If the training of values is instilled from an early age, the chances of them being retained when one grows up will be a better strategy, rather than trying to learn at a grown-up stage.
If one is taught how to greet, give respect, pay attention to directives, obey rules and guidelines, then fewer will depart from that training because what is instilled from an early age will be retained.
We have a habit of trying to undo, trying to correct errors after they have been committed. The breakdown in law and order, or the breaking of laws is a result of lack of instilled values. Remember the biblical quotation of training a child in the way he should go so when he grows old he will not depart. The same applies to adults.
Children learn from what they see adults do, so if you set bad examples for your children they will follow your footsteps.
The problem we all suffer from these days is the lack of positive examples. Every other person is a schemer, everybody is trying to bluff another, there is little honesty among people — friend or foe — and because of this reality you find hardship everywhere.
What is even worse is that there is an accepted perception that the stealing and bluffing and scheming is happening at the highest level.
The qualified persons among us, our ministers of government, our teachers, our coaches, our consultants — everyone is taking us for a ride; and in the final analysis, they have to use or exploit others to obtain their riches.
So, the fact that the coming or following generation is bent on going crooked or trying to get rich by any means is not surprising.
This Now Generation has become aware that using devious methods or irregular practices to meet objectives is the way to go. Because of what they have observed or know about the upper class, every young person tries to emulate those in the system they deem successful.
Can we continue to have a society that is deceitful?
When will we realise that the training has to start from the bottom up?
If we don’t pay attention to how and what we teach our children, we will never prosper — and our tomorrows will remain a period of uncertain values.
We don’t learn when we are grown or set in our ways, but when the right foundation is set.
The big question is: Who will set the pace?
Who will bell the cat?
Who will ensure that this concept of instilling values is done at an early age?
Who will dictate that policy?
Ideas needs legs and some must take the responsibility and take the initiative to see change.
We cannot leave things to chance and expect a different results. Awah! Or, like the Yankees say, ‘Not gonna happen!’