Rockridge High School
Teacher: Barbara Downey
Do We Need A Rite Of Passage In Our
Communities Today?
By Evan Weller
Grade 12
Do our communities need a rite of passage today? Many of today's adolescents do need a rite of passage. The
problem is that the same rite of passage can not be used for everyone. Because everyone's child is not the same,
parents need to find a rite of passage for their child individually. What is the problem with the rite of passage and
how can it be resolved?
One problem that seems unavailable today is parents finding time for their children in today's busy lifestyle. With
costs of life's necessities rising higher, parents are working more to compensate for low wages. Parents are
sacrificing time so they can work and provide the things their kids need to be successful. In many cases parents
are working more than one job. Should parents let their children live without some of the things they want, so they
can be home and help influence and mold their child's life?
Another big problem with the family atmosphere today is the lack of family at all. The rate of divorce and family
break-ups are increasing dramatically. Kids involved in divorced families bounce from house to house, not giving
the child a stable foundation from the beginning. It is hard for parents to instill certain values when the kid is not
always around to listen or learn.
How can we find time to spend with our kids today? Parents need to start sacrificing some of the daily perks so
they can help their child. Try not eating out so often, try not watching movies, stop partying, and give up the things
that cost a few bucks everyday. Those few bucks a day add up. Saving money on the side by sacrificing a few
things can help parents afford to take a couple of days off work to spend with their kid. This should be quality
time!
Parents also can find things their child really likes. They need to listen to what the child is really telling them and
not what parents want to hear. Find out if they like sports, art, music, or anything else to better their life or to just
occupy their time usefully. Once parents find out what their child likes they should do their best to get involved
and get their child involved. Parents should not get upset if their child changes his/her mind. Parents have all
changed their minds before too. Most of all, parents should respect their kid as they would want to be respected.
Have discipline, but be a friend also. Families will not see any improvements in their relationships if they do not
have respect between each other.
Also, schools play a major role in sending kids in the right direction. Schools already mold their students into
decent and respectable young adults. For adolescents seeking guidance into their time of maturing, school can be
a positive tool. But are schools doing enough? Could schools provide an educational course, helping to improve
knowledge of the hardships of life about to occur? Schools could invite more motivational speakers to describe
how to avoid the problem areas that could occur. Teachers could speak to their students from a more personal
stand point. Teachers could give personal testimonies and share their own story of life, during and just after high
school. They could tell how they overcame troubles during their generation. Sure, schools will not be able to help
everyone, but for some kids it could be a crutch to lean on.
Community churches my also very well be an inspirational program. Churches need to get involved more in
peoples' lives in our communities. They need to provide community activities, sponsor activities, and reach out not
only to the adults, but especially to the children. It is important to touch the hearts of children at a young age
before the wrong values are imprinted in their minds. Churches really do have the ability to touch the hearts of
young kids and to influence young minds, if only they would do it more. I know it helped me. By going to a group
prayer, my whole way of thinking changed. I feel that if the church reached a stubborn person such as myself,
then it can reach many others.
Another way of helping adolescents would be to have community leaders get adolescents more involved. Do not
shut kids out and turn the other way just because they are young. The kids today are going to be the leaders of
the future. Do we want confused and troubled adults making decisions and running the country? If adults help
sculpt adolescents now, then they will not have to worry about them later. Local businesses and companies can
help out too. Instead of promoting "crap" in advertisements, on television, and on the radio, they can produce
something that will aid society for the better. Do not promote sex, smoking, drinking, and drugs, instead we need
to promote helpful organizations, influential activities, and the idea of more education.
Decrease the pressure! There are so many pressures in teenagers' lives, that it becomes difficult to deal with.
Many times the adolescent is left feeling like they cannot measure up. There are so many things for kids to get
done as far as work, school, homework, sports, friends, and family life that it is understandable that they break
down. I know from experience. I worked most of my life and never had time to be a kid. Then when I got older,
I said "enough" and started acting like a kid. The only problem was that I was supposed to be an adult then. Kids
get mixed up on whether they are supposed to be an adult or a kid.
So what can we do to help?
Can we change our society for the better? Hopefully, through the examples and teachings
that
we make. Do we need a rite of
passage in our communities today? Yes! Adolescents need help, whether they
realize it or not. Communities and families can not just turn their backs on the problems, they need to face
up and help make a solution. Something needs to change in a hurry, and we can not fix it by watching it pass us by.
1. "...but for the
future of young people who, in the United States were becoming less than they might
be..."
2. #4 I think kids could handle these emotional and stressful things if they knew more about these things on their own. They are often confused or have trouble controlling their own feelings during one of these times. I think if they had more guidance it would help them a lot.
3. Yes, I believe that every generation as a whole brings their own little part of culture. In every generation there is a large number of people who want things different that the generation before, whether these things are good or bad.
4. #2 Without the knowledge and control there has become a chaos between young and old. They do not understand us and sometimes do not care to. This is what is causing the gap between adolescents and adulthood.
5. I agree to an extent. Yes, young people do want to be guided. They want to be slightly guided, but not to have their hand held the whole way either. They only want to be pointed in the right direction and then cut loose to do it on their own. Most of all though, when they do things on their own correctly they want to be congratulated. When they can not do it they would like just enough help to get them back on track. Unfortunately, today's adults are getting used to the idea of mass technology. With the aid of technology everything is done so quickly. This ability is hurting our family life. Parents are becoming impatient much quicker because any problem that can not be fixed in a short amount of time becomes frustrating. With this fact we can see that the relationship between adults and teenagers is becoming more and more flimsy.
6. I have personally seen incidents where people have drank so much that they vomit for hours straight, as if they have alcohol poisoning. I have seen incidents with drugs where students will go and purposely do crazy things, to see if they will live through it or not. I have known people that drink so much that it depresses them and makes them suicidal.
7. I think if people started listening and trying to understand the voices of adolescents, and quit turning the other cheek, maybe there could be an understanding. At least a better one.
8. Yes, I think that there are so many distractions in today's generation that it takes away from the drive for excellence. Teenagers come to a decisive point where they just think that things are "good enough." Then we leave it as is, not even bother to try and make it any better. Teenagers have seen so many other people do this that it imprints on their mind and they take the same attitude towards it. Yes, I would be happy to be home-schooled because I am very uncomfortable at school. I feel I could learn best in an environment that I am most comfortable in.
9. Yes, definitely. I think kids today feel that the things they learn in a classroom are not even put to good use when they are finished with them. I think this puts a stereotype on kids that because they are still in school they are not worthy enough to be an adult. This [is] a bad feeling for a kid to have. I think that activities that would help students learn and help a community would be great. The students would like they are useful to their community, instead of trying to impress a teacher who really does not care what happens to you after you are on your own.
10. I think that it is correct. Kids do want to be known as individuals. Looks and outer appearances are not what they truly care about anymore. Being known, understood, and respected just like anyone else is "in." They just want to be known on the same level as an adult. And why should they not? Most of kids have jobs, go to school, and play a sport. All this at the same time. That seems to be more than what parents do.