Of eight teens, seven were actively looking at their phones and the eighth had one in her hand. Most of the kids were standing in groups but none of them seemed aware of the others and several had ears buds in their ears.
There is one smart phone in our home. It is mine. And it is small. It is expensive. From what I could see, most of those kids had larger, more expensive devices than I do. I was trying to imagine the thousands of dollars in the hands of young people I passed, and the responsibility that comes with it.
And I began reflecting on society's view of our youth. In large part, I hear people giving much and expecting little from today's rising generation. Entitled children are causing adult problems and suffering infant consequences. And the effects are being felt across the board. And yet, the general response seems to be an increase in freedoms and allowances as if strict rules are the cause of rebellious actions. I would would suggest stricter consequences for the offenders and ripple consequences for the community.
Coincidentally, as I drove Daniel to school, he mentioned learning that any Florida youth born in 2001 or later cannot get a driver's license until they turn 18 years old. They can have a permit, but are not permitted to drive independently until they reach 18. It seems this is to combat the drunk driving problem in the state. I have not confirmed this information as I only heard it less than an hour ago. But it would not surprise me. This is how we handle situations like these.
Our family is run a little differently from the world. I find a lot of peace in this. We do things, consider things, believe things, and expect things differently. Therefore, we have different results. We will have to make some small adjustments as we continue to live in this world, but we will not change much. I expect our trust issues in our home are and will continue to be vastly different from the issues other families are facing or will face.
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