Living in the Hollywood area here in California, I can count on all of the celebrity stories being included in our local news and normally I completely ignore them. This week, however, Lindsay Lohan was back in the news with major headlines indicating that if she doesn’t get help, she is going to die and that really caught my eye. This is a story that has been repeated in the news for years along with the stories of her relationships and her excessive partying and how her family and friends have tried to find the answers to help her. She has spent time in rehab on several occasions but has ultimately relapsed and with the latest incident being reported by the paparazzi, it got me to thinking about her being yet one more young person whose Hollywood success has been turned into a personal life of sadness.
I am inclined to think that her story is being played out in many cities across the country by many young people who have turned to substances in order to try to cope with what is going on in their lives. From my own observations, it seems that kids are not having the opportunity to be kids as they grow up. I can’t begin to imagine a 3 year-old sitting in front of a computer to play games rather than playing outside in the sand box and making mud pies. I am very bothered with children being in beauty contests and being taught about make-up and style and the importance of how they should look on the outside when they are 6 years old. I can’t begin to comprehend a life for teenagers with endless hours of computer games or texting to friends for hours on end.
I feel very sorry for every child who has graduated from elementary school and even from high school without the ability to read. It seems like all of the emphasis is placed on the kids who can do really well in football or basketball or even in academics because they are the ones who can make a big name and often big money for their respective schools while those who need help the most are being left in the dust. So many parents are out working countless hours not for the purpose of feeding and clothing themselves and their families but to see how many “things” they can accumulate. They judge success by what they have and think that they are doing their kids a favor by giving them whatever they want rather than giving them their time and help to learn how to be successful individuals in this society.
Since I do not know Ms. Lohan and her family, I cannot speak to her particular life and current situation. However, that does not mean that I can’t take a look at the other young people around me and see the difference between those who had the help and guidance from their parents and/or other family members and those who did not. We are not being fair to our young people by not teaching them about the things they need to know in order to do well when they go out on their own into the world to make lives for themselves. And the next time that I see one of them failing in their personal lives, I will definitely try to find a way to help them and if each of us is willing to do the same thing, we can turn things around for a very large group of young people who need our help. Hopefully, someone will be in a position to step up and help Ms. Lohan, too, before it is too late.
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Barbara Jacoby is an award winning blogger that has contributed her writings to multiple online publications that have touched readers worldwide.