Raising the Most Overweight, Addicted, Medicated Generation in History

Raising the Most Overweight, Addicted, Medicated Generation in History

Country Living did an article called Why Parents Today Aren’t Strict Enough“Children were treated like pets or — worse — release-valves for their parents’ stresses and fears, then expected to magically transform into healthy, functional adults. Which is why we’re the most overweight, addicted, medicated generation in history.”

I visited with a neighbor yesterday who raised one son. He was never given any boundaries. He ate what he wanted, when he wanted, watched what he wanted, and went to bed when he wanted. He is in high school now and she is ashamed of him. He has brought so much pain and suffering into their lives. She looked at me and said, “You did it right. You were black and white parents; ‘yes’ meant ‘yes’ and ‘no’ meant ‘no.’ We were gray parents and we are now paying the price.”

We raised our children with a lot of boundaries. We were considered strict parents. They didn’t get to choose what and when they ate, what they watched, and when they went to bed. We decided these for them when they were young. I made most of their food from scratch and made sure they ate a lot of fruits, vegetables, and healthy foods. They weren’t allowed to watch much television but spent a lot of time outside playing and reading, instead. They were given clear boundaries and disciplined for disobedience. Child raising was a pleasure for us but it took a lot of time and energy when they were very young. It became easier as they got older.

Most parents have no idea how to raise children anymore. They don’t discipline them or give them boundaries but allow them to run their homes. Children have become their parents’ oppressors. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths (Isaiah 3:12).

The article gives a few explanations of why children are out of control today. If you don’t read it carefully, you will miss one of the reasons that are mentioned. “As parents today, increasingly in dual-income homes, we are stretched thin.” It takes a mother home full time to teach, train, nurture, and discipline her children. Children need their mothers to do this job because teachers, nannies, and daycare providers aren’t going to do this for them. It takes a lot of work and this job is given to mothers.

Mothers who are home full time should make sure they aren’t being stretched too thin by getting involved in a lot of activities outside of the home. Raising children to be godly, hard-working adults needs to be their main priority.

“They (children) crave boundaries. They repeat unwanted behavior, like tantrums and violence, because they’re escalating it, waiting for someone to care enough to tell them no.” When children are allowed to get away with temper tantrums, they are essentially unloved. God disciplines us because He loves us in the same way we discipline our children.

I know that there are some parenting practices being taught today to never say “no” to your children. This seems like one of the most foolish things parents can do. All throughout life, we will be told “no.” God tells us “no” about many things in His Word. Why should we do no less with our own children? The sooner they learn that they won’t always get their way in life, the better off they will be.

Denny Kenaston preached a sermon on the Sin of Gluttony and it is a gift to teach your children self-control and disciplining their flesh and its lusts in ALL areas. Your children will have much less chance of being overweight, struggle with addictions, or need medications if they are taught the truth of God’s Word, the importance of renewing their minds with truth, and being in control of their thoughts and appetites.

If you raise your children properly, you will enjoy them! God calls children a blessings and so should we. This nation needs godly offspring to spread the light and love of Jesus more than it needs anything else. As Al Mohler said, “Couples are not given the option of chosen childlessness in the biblical revelation. To the contrary, we are commanded to receive children with joy as God’s gifts, and to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We are to find many of our deepest joys and satisfactions in the raising of children within the context of the family.”

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Hebrews 12:11

9 thoughts on “Raising the Most Overweight, Addicted, Medicated Generation in History

  1. But a lot of us were raised this way too! My best friend and I are totally on the same page in that we don’t allow our kids as much freedom as we had growing up (hers are now grown and mine is a tween) because we got into so much trouble when our parents weren’t around (or just didn’t care when they were around!)

    It is also a deal breaker for both my spouse and I to have me at home when we had kids because we both had very chaotic family lives and we wanted better for our children. Even if everything is going okay – there’s just comfort and stability in knowing that I’m home to take care of problems and keep up the house and my son isn’t going to be left home alone for a few hours before dinner.

    However, we’ve had to create the life we want as it wasn’t modeled for us in our youth. That’s the challenge that a lot of families have today.

    They know what doesn’t work, but because they don’t have people coming along side them to guide them, they revert sometimes to the behavior that they are familiar with. So, people end up with these horrible internal conflicts and a lack of confidence in their parenting skills.

    I’m not trying to suggest that this happens to everyone, but that’s been our experience. We get so scared of screwing our kid up…..it’s really overwhelming when it doesn’t feel like you have a lot of backup in your community.

    So, I think community is a huge key to a lot of why our next generation is so scattered and messed up.

  2. The doctrine of Christianity is to blame here. Let me explain. To be a follower of Christ is totally different from the doctrine of Christianity. In the “church”(501c3 business organization ) there is no boundaries at all..Everyone believes that they have the liberty to do anything they want. Things that are sinful to God, most think are okay because we are under a grace period. Most of us do not understand the grace of God. Truly if we understood we would have a much higher reverence toward Him and His word. In Christianity His word is taken lightly. So in return we see broken homes, children doped up on vaccinations and medications that they don’t need, rebellion because women want to rule and men sit back and allow them (Ahab and Jezebel), and just all out confusion. It’s grieving because the church no longer have standards and order. So if there is no boundaries in the church, how can there be boundaries at Home? I’m not speaking to someone who is lost and don’t know the ways of the Lord, I’m speaking to those who proclaim the name of Jesus with there mouths but there hearts are far from Him. It’s time we come out her, and be separate so we don’t partake in her (America, western cultures) sins. When there is order in the the churches and people separate themselves from Christianity(the doctrine) and start following the scriptures for what is says there will be a change in many homes. People must stop using liberty as a get out of jail free card. This liberty and grace does not give us a right to walk in sin and rebellion to the scripture, but it’s given so we can have the opportunity to get it right and walk PERFECT before the Lord. We only have one life to live.

    Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
    Ecclesiastes 12:13‭-‬14 KJV

  3. M I will pray for you. We all can do a better job at parenting our children. The first step is acknowledging our short comings repent and move forward and strive to do better ?God is merciful when we confess our short comings to Him.

    Btw, Mrs.Lori are you and your family well? I see in the news what’s going on in California. I thought I saw a post from you stating you live in California but I don’t remember. I pray that you all are well.?

  4. Thank you for this comment – the problem is a generation which was sold out by their parents to the altar of self-satisfaction and gain. We are now left with the wreckage – the same also is wracking the institution which calls itself church so that it has aborted so many it does not know how to grow a young Christians. The way out is Jesus Christ He is faithful when the people who call themselves by His name are not. Trust Him and His headship of your husband and read and keep His commandments – the red words in the 4 Gospels. The prophets and apostles only point to these blessed words

  5. I have to say, that description sounds more like how MY generation (Gen X) was raised, and we’re trying to do it differently than our parents did.

  6. We are doing good! We live in Southern CA and so far, that I know any ways, we don’t have any fires burning around us. September and October are fire months for us usually, however, since the hot, dry Santa Ana winds blow off from the desert and are the perfect recipe for fires.

  7. I find your posts convicting in a good way. My question , I was raised in a broken home by the age of 12. My mother was and still is a church going woman. I wasn’t raised strict though in regards to bedtime or food but wasn’t allowed to go anywhere I wanted. I have 2 kids now , do you have any book suggestions for direction in implementing healthy boundaries in bedtimes or other areas that need order. Thank you, Alisha

  8. This is sad and disheartening and only strengthens my resolve to train and discipline my children. I just read this blog post on how the Amish raise their children and I am just blown away by it. That the children are taught so early on to lose their self-will is amazing. Modern psychology would find the idea abhorrent and destructive and the world encourages us to exalt the self (which leads to our own destruction).

    https://afterthoughtsblog.net/2008/03/amish-childrearing.html

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