Giving thanks should be a daily deed. One of the current weaknesses in our culture is ungratefulness and taking what we have for granted. It is something that is blatantly apparent in the younger generations today as celebrities and the news media have molded their negative opinions of America and degraded values. Celebrities and media personalities have only been able to infiltrate these young minds because our foundation is folding. That foundation is the family unit.
In the past, families discussed important events at the dinner table whether it be what happened at school/work or what happened in the world that day. Parents took this opportunity to advise their children on how to handle certain situations. With hectic schedules, not many families sit down together at the dinner table anymore. And even when they do, there is some sort of distraction like the television or iphone. Without daily communication and dissemination of ideas and values from parent to child, children become isolated from parents, even when they live under the same roof. Children become lost at sea and are then easily swayed by what they hear on television or read on social media or by what their friends say at school. Naturally, children of families split apart by divorce have even less of a rudder to navigate through the rough seas. When families split apart, the individual suffers and values become warped, weakening our nation.
But it is possible to put our children and country on the right track, by giving thanks everyday together as a family. We should thank God everyday that our forefathers made the sacrifices they did to establish our nation; for those who made sacrifices to keep our nation and values protected; and for those that currently do so. We should thank God for giving us the opportunity to live in this great nation and contribute to its prosperity. As parents we should be thankful for the opportunity to mold the next generation of strong leaders.
Part of parenting is teaching our children to be grateful for the ability to work, challenge one’s self and contribute to family and society. Working with our children side by side and showing them the joy of work also strengthens our nation. In general when you work for something, you appreciate it more than if it is given to you. Many children are brought up expecting to be taken care of and never learn about the joy of earning something on one’s own. Satisfaction in accomplishment propels a society forward. When a society has no appreciation of work or accomplishment or punishes those that produce, that society will stagnate.
Families who are thankful for our nation and each other will not be swayed by the vices presented to us everyday by outside forces that work against our country’s core values imparted on us by God.