If you are a parent and have children less than 21 years of age, you are doing a great disservice to them if you do drugs, smoke, vape, drink alcohol, gamble, use profanity, and run with immoral or ungodly people. The reason is simple: parents have more influence over their children than anyone else, and if we are going to have a better country in the years ahead, we must begin by having better parents. When we have a “mindset” to do just that, amazing things will happen.
What motivated me to share this is something I ran across a few weeks ago. It was titled “The Education of Johnny O. Muddle” who was kicked out of a service academy. He was 19 when he was caught cheating on a test. But his problems did not start here. When he was 6 years of age, he was with his father when they were caught speeding. His father handed the police officer a $10 bill with his driver’s license. “It’s OK, Son. Everybody does it,” his father said as they drove off.
When he was 8, he was at a family council presided over by his Uncle George, on the surest way to shave points off the income tax return. “It’s OK, Kid,” his uncle said. “Everybody does it.” When he was 9 his mother took him to see his first theater production. The box office man couldn’t find any seats until his mother discovered an extra $20 in her purse. “It’s OK, Son,” she said. “Everybody does it..” When he was 12, he broke his glasses on the way to school. His Aunt Francine persuaded the insurance company they were stolen and she collected $75. “It’s OK, Kid,” she said. “Everybody does it.”
When he was 15, he made right guard on the high school football team. His coach showed him how to block and at the same time grab the opposing end by the shirt so the official couldn’t see it. “It’s Ok, Kid,” the coach said. “Everybody does it.” When he was 16 he took a summer job at the big market. His assignment was to put the overripe tomatoes in the boxes and the good ones on the top where they would show. “It’s OK, Kid,” the manager said. “Everybody does it.”
When he was 17, his older brother Lance, who was just less than seven feet tall, studied offers from 21 universities who needed a tall center. He selected the one that offered the biggest down payment on a new car and gave a scholarship to his girlfriend, Gertrude. “It’s OK, Kid,” the recruiter said. “Everybody does it.” When he was 18, he and a neighbor applied for an opening in a service academy. Johnny was a marginal student. His neighbor was in the upper 3 percent of his class but he couldn’t play right guard. Johnny got the assignment. “It’s OK, Kid,” they told him. “Everybody does it.” Then he was approached by an upperclassman who offered him the test answers for $10. “It’s OK, Kid,” he said. “Everybody does it.” Johnny was caught and sent home in disgrace.
And now for a brief “rest of the story.” You can imagine the finger pointing that went on because no one wanted to take responsibility for his downfall. While it may not be as elaborate, we are all guilty to some degree. I want to hold myself accountable and I hope you will, too.
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(Jim Davidson is an author, public speaker, syndicated columnist, and Founder of the Bookcase for Every Child project. Since its inception in the Log Cabin Democrat in 1995, Jim’s column has been self-syndicated in over 375 newspapers in 35 states. For a personalized copy of “Your Future Begins Today” send $20, which includes postage and handling, to Jim Davidson, 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)