Character is more important than high grades

Americans are losing the understanding of which priorities are important to their children and them. In this new millennium we have become obsessed with material wealth. The “its all about money era” has led us down the path of devaluating the importance of man’s character.

As long as you have money, regardless of how you attained it, you are a person to be admired. The pathetic, addicted Hollywood celebrities, crooked politicians and corporate CEOs have become the people we admire in our upside down culture. Our past national heroes and the unsung heroes in our lives living a good moral existence are ridiculed as uncool and boring. Morality has lost its importance.

Modern parents do not want their child to be morally corrupt but they will overlook lying, stealing and cheating as long as the child receives high grades in school. They believe high grades lead to a good university slot that means a BA, MA or PhD, which will guarantee their child a prosperous and happy life.

The over looking of moral transgressions at home and at school, as long as the bright child is receiving high grades, is foolish and short sighted. When children use lying and cheating to make good grades they may gain an advanced degree in their future but it forecasts trouble. It does not guarantee a healthy or worthwhile life.

Americans have been sold a ridiculous bill of goods about “intelligence.” The smarter your child is the more rosy her future. Modern parents focus on cognitive development and put character development at the bottom of the list of importance.

From birth there are educational toys hanging from the crib. Educational infant videos and programs play on the television screen and parents play teacher with colors, shapes, numbers and letters. At the same time they ignore outrageous, out-of-control behavior missing the importance of training a child to be an honorable human being.

When the child comes home from school with a note that he lied, stole or cheated, the parent’s first concern is whether it is going to affect his grades instead of being upset with his immoral behavior. Modern parents are blind to the significant negative impact of establishing immoral habits in their child’s future. The long-term effect of not following the 10 Commandments is being relegated to a non-issue although it means an under developed conscience that will lead the child astray.

High grades and degrees may give a person more options and a higher level of entry into the workforce but it does nothing to guide him in making good decisions in his life. Regardless of the grades or degrees a young person has obtained, misconduct can stain his reputation and label him for life.

Modern parents are often delusional about how much power they have to protect their child. When a child reaches 18 years old his behavior is no longer the responsibility of the parents. The young adults become accountable for their behavior.

Modern parents need to reevaluate the amount of importance they are placing on their child’s academics. Plagiarizing at college, the use of addictive substances, stealing or lying to authorities can result in criminal charges for college students even from the most powerful families. Even if a person is able to avoid detection by authorities immoral behavior in personal relationships with a spouse, children or co-workers frequently leads to personal tragedies, mental instabilities and mental illness.

Moral education in the long run pays greater dividends than the ability to impress how smart a person is or his ability to achieve in an ivy tower environment. A person of good character is dependable and trustworthy even when no one is looking over his shoulder.

Parent’s insistence on their child doing what is right is the most important gift they can provide for him. A child with a highly developed conscience places him on automatic pilot to be shielded from people going down a spiritually destructive path. When a person is doing right he has less time to do what is wrong.

The guidance system of good character training is a parental legacy. Their offspring will acknowledge this legacy with gratitude as they experience the pressures of evil they face directly in the adult world. There is nothing more gratifying than living a spiritually, solid, balanced and healthy life.

A child with strong moral character has a better chance of negotiating the immense number of temptations he will have throughout his lifetime. Morals inoculate a person against evil forces. Without a strong moral compass many people make horrible choices that bring shame and harm to themselves and others.