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PANTHER PAL END OF THE YEAR PICNIC CELEBRATION
Wednesday- May 30, 2012
3p.m. to 5p.m.
PAUL VI Front Lawn and Cafeteria
Hamburgers, Hotdogs, and go withs
Graduation Cake for our Seniors
GAMES
“The church must suffer for speaking the truth, for pointing out sin, for
uprooting sin. No one wants to have a sore spot touched, and therefore a
society with so many sores twitches when someone has the courage to touch it
and say: “You have to treat that. You have to get rid of that. Believe in
Christ. Be converted.”
― Oscar A. Romero, The Violence of Love
Giving Teens Money
by Carleton Kendrick Ed.M., LCSW
Is Our Guilt Causing Their Greed?
American teenagers are spending more than my father took home in his paycheck
when I was a kid, and more than I received in my first job out of college. My
father toiled in the textile mills for his money. My first job was teaching
fourth grade. Our teens get more than $104 every week...for doing nothing.
That's right, $104 a week! According to a national survey conducted by
marketing firm Teenage Marketing Unlimited, the average American teenager
spent over $104 per week in 2001.
The survey revealed that close to two-thirds of that $104 is spent on
whatever the teens desire, while the remainder is spent mostly on feeding
themselves. Nice work if you can get it. But evidently work has little, if
anything to do with the cash teens carry in their pockets. Their parents give
it to them with no strings like work or responsibilities attached to it. Ask
or don't ask and you shall receive...a lot of money. That's the commandment
at the core of parents turning their kids into carefree big-spenders.
I'm worried about this. We've already begun experiencing some of the dire
consequences resulting from our teens' profligate spending habits. Robert
Manning, author of Credit Card Nation, cites young adults under age 25 as the
most rapidly growing group of bankruptcy filers. It appears that providing
our teens with all this spending money might be creating generations of
financially irresponsible adults. Teens see their parents as impetuous,
conspicuous consumers who view considerable credit-card debt as an accepted
way of life. The sins of the father...
What brought us to the place where teenagers feel entitled to cell phones,
expensive brand-name clothing and the newest, high-priced electronic
gadgetry? Have we and our children adopted the mantra from the movie, Wall
Street -- he who has the most toys when he dies wins? How can we deny our
teenagers' demands for CD burners and beepers when we feverishly acquire as
many possessions as possible in a vain attempt to purchase immediate
satisfaction and status?
During this last decade of unparalleled prosperity, the marketers have
persuaded us that greed is not only good, but also necessary and natural.
Then they took a look at the largest group of teenagers in our country's
history and started marketing directly to them. Apparently they've taught
them well. Teenage Research Unlimited reports that teenage spending has risen
from $122 billion per year to $172 billion per year over the past five years.
Our nation's teens may be failing standardized tests in alarming numbers, but
they seem to be getting high marks in Greed 101.
Not only greed, but also guilt, drives us to dole out the discretionary big
bucks to our adolescents. We spend more time at work than ever before. The
dual-career family is commonplace. About half of our marriages end in
divorce. Almost one-third of us are single parents. We are overwhelmed trying
to balance our work and family lives. It's "I'm sorry that I'm not home more"
money, "Sorry that we don't eat dinner as a family" money and "Sorry that I
don't really know much about your life" money. We feel just plain sorry...and
guilty.
Truth be known, your teenagers want more of you, not more money from you.
That's what the studies say. That's what teens tell me. Don't bet that more
cash can replace more of you. Stop feeling guilty. Put away your wallet.
Spend more time with your teens. Show them that you care who they are and
that you are genuinely interested in their lives. Maybe then you won't feel
so compelled to show them the money.
Read more on FamilyEducation:
http://life.familyeducation.com/teen/allowance/36546.html#ixzz1f1TWvYVf
Here is a little something from the Catechism:
2522. Modesty protects the mystery of persons and their love. Modesty is
decency. It inspires ones choice of clothing. It keeps silence or reserve
where there is evident risk of unhealthy curiosity. It is discreet.
and
2524. Teaching modesty to children and adolescents means awakening in them
respect for the human person.
Not only does Jesus love you- but even more- He longs for you! He misses you
when you don't come close. Jesus Loves you always, even when you do not feel
worthy. When not accepted by others, even by yourself sometimes- Jesus is
the one Who always accepts you.
"Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be
ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to
be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone." - Titus3:1-2
If you have any questions referring to a particular Options academic subject
please email or call that individual teacher. Any other comments or
questions referring to classroom matters give us a call or email us before
or after school or during class period breaks at 703-352-0925 ext 325.
Mary Daley mdaley@paulvi.net
Betsy Rhodes erhodes@paulvi.net
Ann Schierer aschierer@paulvi.net
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a
miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein
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