What could MTV, the inventor of such kid-friendly shows as Beavis and Butthead, and George Barna, the famous Christian researcher and author of Raising Spiritual Champions, possibly have in common? In what universe could these two culturally polar-opposites possibly agree - especially about the American family? For once they may actually agree on something.
When MTV conducted a survey of people aged 13-24 asking them what makes them happy, you would naturally expect to hear about things that are the glory of MTV: money, sex, drugs, and fame. The results, though, were surprisingly (or, maybe not so surprisingly) in line with what Christian researchers like Barna have been telling us for years: parents are the single most important factor in a child's happiness and sense of well-being. Nearly 3/4 of those surveyed said that their relationship with their parents was a significant source of happiness. When asked about what activities made them happy, the respondents listed "spending time with my family" more than any other response. In fact, when asked about a significant hero, nearly half listed mom or dad as number one (sorry, dads, moms edged us by a few percentage points in the hero category). Christian researchers like Barna have been arguing for years that we need to re-assert the importance of active, purposeful parenting for the good of our kids.
So what about money, sex, and drugs? Surprisingly (considering the source of the research) money was barely mentioned by the people surveyed as a significant source of happiness, while those using drugs or actively engaging in sex reported a lower percentage of happiness.
I found this research ironically encouraging since it came from a source like MTV. I am pretty sure they didn’t set out to find kids from perfect families. The results simply reinforce what the Bible says about parents: we are essentially important to our kids, and not just when they are little. Your child may be too old and cool to run in a jump on your lap and give you a hug. They may even be guarded and make you work at keeping a relationship with them (have you ever played "20 Questions" just to find out if your child had a good day at school?). The reality is, though, that they crave our love and attention and need us to act like parents.
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