Raising the Next Generation

History tends to repeat itself. Most people intuitively sense this. Learning about the decadence of ancient Rome before it's fall reminded me eerily of our current society's pleasure-seeking ways. Historians William Strauss and Neil Howe have come up with a particularly interesting theory about a 4-generation-cycle that has repeated many times over in American History. For parents, it can be interesting to consider what kind of a world our children will grow up in and what skills they will need to confront it.

First there are "Stewards" in an Era of Blessing. These stewards tend to think highly of their duty to society. This other-focus allows the blessings of the age to take root. Often this is an era when the structure is laid from which future generations will benefit.

The next generation is "Builders" in an Era of Presumption. The blessings of the previous era begin to look like they were earned by hard work, so builders figure they can improve upon that. They set about designing a better future. According to the historians, the generation that fought WW2 was the most recent generation of builders.

Then a generation of "Rebels" points out the flaws in the Era of Awakening. This was the era of the Baby Boomers, who protested Vietnam and championed the Civil Rights Movement. It was an idealistic age where parents turned to the likes of Dr. Spock and focused on building self-esteem in their children.

The generation now young parents or teenagers are the "Activists" who reign during the current Era of Calamity. It is a rather cynical and world-weary era in which we live. It needs activists who crave something new and better and are willing to work and pray for it. Our children are born into this era which cries out for a fresh blessing.

When the tide will turn back to an era of blessing only God knows. It will begin and be sustained by God himself. We cannot make it happen. It is a wise parent who will raise his children to understand the duty and sacrifice that characterizes the Era of Blessing's "Stewards."

RESOURCES
How Children Raise Parents