None of us gets through life without challenges and more often than anyone wants, real trials. Without ethics and morals, we have no guiding principle.  – From Living Learning Loving

I’m more concerned than I’ve ever been about the lack of simple ethics in our world today. I’m not even addressing the more complex dilemmas like doctor-assisted suicide or euthanasia. It’s the simple right and wrong issues that are becoming common, that troubles me. Some of these are as a direct result of the Internet. Others seem to be as a result of desensitization in our daily lives.

How is it that we have come to accept inappropriate behavior as the norm for today? I’m glad to live in a country where one can go to prison for lying under oath. I’m glad that people still consider blatant dishonesty to be wrong. Our leaders, unfortunately, are not held to a higher standard than the general public. We seem to want to be considerate and forgiving and yet have forgotten that without rules and consequences we would live in chaos.

I remember the day when police officers and dogs weren’t required in our schools. This is not about gun control and school shootings. It’s about decent behavior.

I recall a conversation I had with a student’s father when I was teaching high school. I made the call to the parent to let him know that his daughter had spoken to me in a highly disrespectful manner. His response was to let me know that teachers were not always correct. I calmly repeated myself. And he finally said he would speak to her.  Why should a teacher have to convince a parent that his child had misbehaved?  And this was a very long time ago. I wish I could say that things have improved.

Ethics begin in early childhood with good manners. Children learn mostly by example. As I’ve worked with single mothers for eleven years I’ve seen so many mothers who have every excuse to be slack, but are not. They are my heroes.

This is a tribute to those mothers who are doing the work to teach ethical behavior. Never mind what they see on TV and especially in the news. Let us, as mothers and grandmothers, teach that the higher road is the best path of a successful journey.

Read more in my book – Living Learning Loving, Lessons of Insight and Encouragement on the Path of Motherhood

I raised three children as a single mother before I remarried. I have experienced the potholes, pests, and perils of being the single head-of-household. As an educator in regular and special education for twenty years, I know a great deal about child development and how to handle kids. I am the founder of SMORE for Women, a nonprofit whose goal is Single Moms, Overjoyed, Rejuvenated, and Empowered. I’m also a Certified Professional Coach and my stories have been published in several Christian books and magazines. My book, Living Learning Loving is available on Amazon.