that is so sad.... with both parents working to survice (if there are 2 parents, and children being raised by the state have really messed up.. our children really deserve much, much more than this.
they need to learn that there is a BIG difference in being in lust and being in love and mutual respect vs. usery.
My oldest (20) gave her "Valentine" (the very fine young man I suspect will be our first "son") a simple red box. Inside were 100 handwritten slips - on the inside cover: "100 reasons why I love you". She said he was so touched it nearly brought him to tears.
Funny, but it goes back to a time when she was about 14--she had spent the summer complaining about her life and the things that weren't being done for her. I had enough of it, and issued her an assignment: No phone, computer, or social life of any sort until she gave me a list of 100 things she appreciated about our family--no repeats. And I told her there were certain things I was going to look for in that list.
It did not take her as long to come up with her list as I had expected - and she hit the mark - even "I'm thankful that you take me to church" made the top 100.
For the next two weeks she was to read the list each night before she went to bed.
After that little exercise in gratitude, we had no more attitude, no more "gimmies" and an extremely appreciative young lady in the house. The lesson was not lost on her younger sisters - the mere threat of a writing assingment has been enough to keep them in line, lol.