The BLOG: Culture

Millennials Are Destroying The Next Generation and It’s Ruining America

Respect.  Dignity.  Gratitude.  Pride.  Hard work.

These are some of the values that my parents instilled in me. They are values that my wife and I are trying to instill in OUR children. 

The same can be said for many of our friends who are also parents. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for many Millennials – and so I’ve got some tough love to share with you that your parents clearly missed the boat on.

You’re screwing up your kids. And for the love of America, you need to get it together.

Did you hear that?

It was the collective gasp of tender little snowflakes across the country, preparing to skip this entire article and head right to the “comments” section so they can declare that I’m parent shaming.

It’s true. I am. Many of you suck at being parents. ‘matter of fact, part of me almost wishes you had to apply for a breeding license these days.

Relax.  I’m not here to judge you.  Everyone else has already handled that.

No, I’m here to help you. Today … I’m going to edumacate you on the lessons that your own parents apparently dropped the ball on … in hopes that you can save your own child before it’s too late.

RESPECT

It’s sad how far the pendulum has swung. Growing up, I was taught that if you hold the door open for a lady, you’re a gentleman. Now apparently it means you’re sexist and are saying that women aren’t strong enough to do it on their own.

I was taught you shouldn’t touch things that aren’t yours.

I was taught that when your parents tell you to do something, you do it. You don’t whine and cry until they finally cave in. Then again, my parents weren’t pansies.

When a senior citizen talks, you shut your mouth and listen.

You put down your phone when in a meeting or at a dinner and ACTUALLY share in that experience with the people you’re sitting in the same room with.

If you screwed up in school, you didn’t have mommy and daddy fight with the teacher on your behalf. You were punished at home when detention was over.

If you screwed up in life, you apologized. You owned your mistake. You learned from it. You didn’t blame it on someone else.

If you screwed up in business, you didn’t ask your parents to call your boss. You put on your big boy pants and fixed it.

You said “please” and “thank you.”

You did what you said you were going to do and you kept your word.

And you might have recognized people by the color of their skin … but you didn’t care. Why? Because you were taught that we’re all created equal in the eyes of God.

HARD WORK

The same whining and entitled Millennials who are protesting for $15/hour minimum wage turn the other way when they hear that the EMT who saved their life only makes $11/hour.

They want to drink their way through college and have taxpayers pick up the tab … and then are RIPPING mad when they get to graduate school and see how much comes out of their paycheck in taxes.

Shut up. Buckle up. You don’t deserve six figures and you might never make it.  Appreciate the fact that you have a job and keep working your way up. Business is a meritocracy and if you want something, you’d better earn it.

Eight weeks of paid vacation out of school? I get that your mommy told you that one day you could be President, but let’s be real – you ate glue sticks until you were 14. You’re lucky you’re allowed to cut your own meat.

Oh, and by the way – when I say “earn it” – I don’t consider Instagram to be a real job.

DIGNITY

The same whining Millennials flipping out that a NAVY Pilot drew a penis in the sky with contrails – “how graphic and vile!” – are knitting vagina hats for their children and making them hold signs in parades.

You are teaching your children to “RESIST!”. We are teaching our kids how to play in the sandbox with others and do something called “conflict resolution”.

You have no dignity and you’re embarrassing your family.

You are angry that your kids’ school asked your child to bring in canned goods for the less fortunate – “what are they going to ask us for NEXT?” … but your Facebook post declares we should open the borders to illegals.

You teach your daughter to embrace her body by showing it off in skimpy and revealing clothing … but then declare #METOO when you hear a guy whistle at her.  Not touch her, mind you, but make a pass.

And then you sit down and watch The Kardashians with her so that you can see the latest saga over Kim breaking the Internet with her naked butt.

GRATITUDE

Our grandparents stormed the beaches of Normandy. Our fathers were mowed down in the jungles of Vietnam. And yet you are teaching your children that the democratic election of President Donald Trump calls for a “safe space” and a “therapy dog.”

You aren’t grateful for what you have … because you don’t understand what sacrifices it took to give you those things.

You teach your kids that the American flag is a sign of oppression. That police are racist. And yet you’re ecstatic to drink beer on the 4th of July instead of going to work … and the second you see a shadow on your property, you call the cops.

You don’t value freedom. You’re not appreciative of safety and security. Because you’ve never known anything else. And yet you scream on social media about “privilege” and you take a knee during our national anthem because it’s trending and you saw it happening on Snap … without understanding the lack of gratitude you’re showing by doing it.

PRIDE

Growing up, my parents worked for everything they had. They taught us the value of a dollar. The importance of hard work. The lessons of faith and God and country.

They taught us to be proud. To be righteous. To fight for the underdog. To do the right thing … not to do what’s going to make you the most money or be the most fun.

So many of my fellow Millennials don’t know pride … because they’ve never experienced it. Their parents have handed them everything but failed to hand them lessons in life.

And in turn … they aren’t teaching their own kids how to be upstanding, patriotic citizens. How to be proud women and strong men. 

They’re busy rewriting history by banning books and removing statues. They’re focused on telling their kids that there’s no difference between men and women … that manliness is toxic and being a mother is a burden and the only way to win at life is to have things handed to you and to vote for people who hand those things to you.

If we want to save America, we’d better start by fixing the way that children are being raised in 2018 and beyond.

Kyle S. Reyes is the Chief Executive Officer of The Silent Partner Marketing, co-host of The Whiskey Patriots and the National Spokesman for Law Enforcement Today. Reyes is also an acclaimed keynote speaker on patriotism and leadership, entrepreneurship and marketing by storytelling. You can follow him on Facebook.