Happy Youth Day!

Today is National Youth day in South Africa and therefore I want to wish the youth all over the world HAPPY YOUTH DAY!

I am often very saddened by the victimisation, abuse and senseless killings of youth, especially in South Africa where we hear so many horror stories. It seems we cannot take our eyes of our children for one split-second and I do my best never to take my eyes of my kids, which is very difficult, with two energetic little 5 year old monsters.

I want to appeal to the adults reading this site: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE - be aware of your environment. It's not 1960 when you were growing up or were a teenager - things have CHANGED. Look after your children. There are so many "baddies" out there, not to mention peer pressure and complete sicko's. What's going to happen to our youth when the adults don't step in?

Drop and collect your kids wherever possible. Only leave them with people you trust completely and even then, still check up. Know who your kids are hanging out with - let them hang at your place instead of another kid's place. Make your home a place where the kids WANT to be - let them know that they can be themselves within limits, but there are rules and they are protected.

Most of all - let your kids know every day before leaving for school and every night before they go to bed that they are the best and that you are lucky to have them. Let them know that you won't be as happy as you are if it weren't for them being in their lives. Never go to sleep with bad feelings in your heart where your family (that includes spouse AND kids) is concerned and never leave your home with bad feelings.

Those are little pearls of wisdom included in my upcoming relationship/marriage book which will hopefully be sometime in this lifetime!!! ;-)

On this day I want to tell the world what a happy youth day it is for me - thanks to my 3 youths: Wade (yeah, he's over the hill, but he's also my baby!) and John-Ross and Debbie. I love you guys LOTS!

Have a good day everyone!