Family is the backdrop of society
I thought I’d write about the importance and role of family in society. A family unit is the longest standing and self-sustainable institution on Earth. From the beginning of mankind, to date: mankind still live in family units and still desire to. Even though there is an increased rate of Divorce globally, the family unit still plays a critical role in crafting the fibre of society.
For us to have a successful impact on society using the family strand, we must be grounded on the principles of God for the family as seen depicted throughout the Bible. By staying in the unit that God assigned for mankind, we find the source of strength, courage, divine direction and help as well as sustainable strategies for keeping the family intact. In America, 83% of adults were married in 1930, today, only 49% are married. There has to be a reason for that drop. And the same decline is linked with increased crime rate and violence.
Impact of families on children
Research shows that child headed families had children not going to school, involved in violent behaviours, theft and robbery. Girls sell their bodies (sex slaves) for food and money to support their younger siblings from a very young age. And boys fall into drugs and join gangs.
Little children emulate family units in the plays and games. That longing for healthy family is in every child, but it gets distorted by the existing family strand through divorce, domestic violence, absent fathers, etc.
Where the family unit is intact, such parents become effective role models to their children. Studies show that, where both parents are actively involved in their children, the following will happen to their children:
They are more likely (55%) to go enrol for higher education; 78% more likely to volunteer in community building or charity activities; 81% more likely to participate in sports; 200% more likely to hold a leadership position in small to large scale groups: sports, peers, school, business, etc.
Children with both parents also have a lesser chance to go through depressive state or being involved in drugs (46% less), alcohol (27% less), violence (33% less) and 55% less likely to skip classes or miss school. These children tend to have good self-confidence and believe in themselves than children without both parents. Other alarming statistics were published on fatherless families.
Studies published in the Unites States shows these alarming results of absent fathers in the lives of children:
- 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes – 5 times the average.
- 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.
- 85% of all children who show behaviour disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average.
- 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes –14 times the average.
- 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average.
- 71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father or direct involvement of a father figureFamily is the backdrop of society
Impact on society
- Politics will be based on sustainable family values, not selfish ambitions.
- Church will be built on sustainable family values. Mike Murdock says if you cannot conquer your family, you cannot conquer in the world.
- Business enterprises will be sustainable: because no one will steal from any one knowing that they will be affecting their own brother’s family. Successful business men attribute their success to the support from their wives. Happy families produce better citizens. The opposite is true as well.
- Schools will be intact. That would mean: the School Governing Bodies will comprise of parents/ families with the same or similar values, the children will be groomed in the same neighbourhood love
- The rate of violence and crime against humanity will be less.
- Peace.
Imagine a situation where the families were united in prayer, values and priorities for child development, for community policing, education, it would be peaceful. I believe that if families were built on values embraced by children, or their wishes, there would be neither divorce nor violence in society.
