We seem to be on track for raising the greatest number of young people without morals or a conscience than we have ever seen in our lifetime. The recent flood of stories on the news involving our youth concerns me deeply.

I was recently speaking to a policeman who teaches in the criminal justice program at a high school. He told me that his greatest frustration is when he hears people talk about how bad kids are.  He said, "The problem isn't the kids. The problem is the parents because they are not doing their job. Most of the parents of kids in my program haven't put a foot on the campus in almost four years."

In Utah they are talking about allowing seniors to skip their senior year in order to address their  budgetary issues. I hope and pray moms and dads will rise up and say "no" to this idea because it is a dangerous one for the teens themselves and their emotional development.

The most recent national story on bullying comes out of Massachusetts, where a 14 year old girl killed herself due to the continual harassment and abuse from her peers. The town is outraged and parents are demanding schools act on these kids who are guilty of such offensive behavior. I totally understand their response but I think the problem is deeper.

Last summer Tiffany and I were traveling together on her trip for graduation. We were reflecting on our life together and all we had been through.  As a family, we have faced many challenging seasons  for long stretches of time.

I have become increasingly aware of a phenomenon that is harmful to our children. It seems that it is rampant among our kids yet invisible at the same time. We don't seem to notice the problem until someone points it out.