As my name suggests, I’ve been dealing with “at risk” teenagers for over 10 yrs now
I’ve heard all the “reasons” why one would not want to be frum. {My rebbe embarrassed me, my parents got divorced, I have ADD ,a learning disability, and so on.} And I want you to know something:
Firstly, If the parents don’t know anything about Judaism how can they give anything over to there children??
Furthermore, those that DO know Judaism and reasons, don’t do the mitzvos with a smile or a geshmak. These kids either don’t understand why they do something, or they understand and see it as a burden.
Now to the point.
The kids use this as an excuse.
Nobody says it’s easy to be a frum Jew, especially if they feel disgust, anger, and unfulfillment.
The grass ALWAYS looks greener on the other side, and at some point, the kid has to take some responsibility for his own life.
there is a ribono shel olam and everyone will get rewarded and punished for their actions. It’s nothing personal, that’s just the way of the world.
Maybe, for example, he had a rebbe that hated him and picked on him. We all did. But what separates the men from the boys is dealing with every situation and not running away and “going off”. Some situations are tougher then others and need more assistance, but that’s the way life is.
NOBODY in this world ever made it big by not going through hardships and challenges. Just look at the Shevatim, our ancestors, our gedolim. Many people don’t have it easy in life and that makes them stronger, not weaker.
I would love to be out of a job, for there to be no need for my services, but something needs to change. Either parents need to learn to instill their children with a love and excitement for Yiddishkeit, and sometimes that means instilling it in themselves first. And our children need to learn a sense of responsibility. Yes, maybe you were a victim…but don’t use that as an excuse. Stop blaming cell phones. Stop blaming internet. The problem runs much deeper.