Where Has the American Family Gone

Most everyone is familiar with the television show "The Waltons" at one point in the series there were four generations of the Walton family living under one roof. Many years ago this was a common occurrence in America. From the wealthiest to the poorest families stayed together.

Today with our tremendous mobile society we see fewer and fewer families joining forces, combining incomes, talents and strengths for the betterment of the family. With families spread across the country gone are the Sunday dinners at Grandma's house. Gone are the hours of stories told by Grandpa about "the old days". Gone are the times when any family member in need was lifted up by others of the same blood.

What we find in America today are homeless and abuse shelters filled to the maximum capacity night after night. We have an ever increasing suicide rate. In America there are thousands upon thousands of young children who see their grandparents once or twice a year, or worse yet don't see them at all. We have a growing number of "homes" for elderly where the senior members of American families are placed to live out the remainder of their lives being cared for by strangers and often never seeing their family again.

The American family survived building a life in a new strange country, a civil war, and two world wars but has nearly vanished in the age of technology with televisions, computers, and moving faster and further. We can go to the moon and back but can't spend a few hours a day with our American family.

Just as in the days of old now more than possibly any time in our history the American family needs its members. The American family needs a revival! Children need grandparents rather than 'day care centers", parents need support and encouragement when they lose their job or home, elderly need to feel wanted and useful in their later years of life. The American family needs to be found again.

How many of the people in homeless shelters truly have no family? How many of those suicide victims felt support from their family? How many of the abused and neglected children in America were spending regular frequent time with their grandparents? How many troubled teens in juvenile homes spent quality time with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins?

Wouldn't it be much nicer to have those family members who may have lost home and job to live with family and help each other in what ever way possible? Would the suicide rate in America be so high if individuals had family around them to share their problems with? Rather than strangers raising children what's wrong with grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other family members caring for and helping to raise them. Teens particular can benefit from the family unit of old - guiding, supervising, teaching, and just spending time with them.

Isn't it about time we find the American family again? Find it, rebuild it, and support it before there are no members left in the family! Won't you please pull your family together to once again be an American family before it's too late?