Critical Issues Facing Families

Writing on the Child Trends website about what is happening with today’s families, Kristin Anderson Moore identified a “handful of critical issues that aren’t on the to-do lists of most children’s advocates,” but will “profoundly affect children’s lives and outlooks as they grow into adulthood.” Here a few of those issues, as she describes them:

“The need for positive role models. Adults spend a lot of time lecturing and instructing children and youth. They seem to forget that children and youth learn from example as much or more than from direct teaching. Children observe the diet and exercise habits of parents; they also see and hear the loss of civility and collaboration among policymakers. Adults need to set positive examples for the next generation. It is good to support character education, but it isn’t enough. Adults also need to provide positive role models for the next generation.

Unplanned pregnancy. We have made substantial gains toward the goal of reducing teen pregnancy; but unplanned pregnancy remains far too common among couples in their teens and early 20s...Being born to older parents in a committed relationship who want to have a family doesn’t magically solve children’s problems, but it sure does reduce the economic and social challenges faced by children and families. And delaying childbearing also allows the parents to obtain the education and work experience they need to get a good job.

Use of data and evidence. We expect medical care to be based on solid research, but we need to extend this standard to all programs that serve children, youth, and families. Too many services and programs fail to produce results, and some actually do harm. Even programs that are on target in terms of their goals, approach, and outcomes are often implemented with such poor quality and consistency that they do not achieve their potential. If we continue to build a stronger evidence base about child and youth-serving programs, and use those data to monitor program outcomes (not just service delivery), it will substantially improve the positive development of children and youth.” 

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