The Children We Left Behind

Nearly every major social problem in the West can be traced back to our declining appreciation for the nuclear family structure and our failure to plan for families properly. Our culture has shifted from prioritizing sacrifice for the benefit of innocent children to catering to the fleeting desires of the adults who bring them into the world.

As a result, family separation has become commonplace, and what we consider normal is often rationalized, even when it harms our children. The culture of radical individualism among adults has left children to bear the consequences of their parents' choices.

I was once that child who was left behind, neglected by his father, and witnessed his mother shoulder the load for our survival. My father's choice to abandon me physically and emotionally contributed to my decades of struggle with depression, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation.

Unfortunately, my experience of homelessness, mental hospital incarceration, and perpetual internal strife is no longer rare. However, our stories are often ignored, and we avoid holding accountable the parents who have failed us.

If we are to change our culture's trajectory, we must sacrifice our pride and prioritize the needs of our children over our own selfish desires. Our children must come first, or they will come last — there is no middle ground.