In the current climate, parenting faces immense challenges with societal pressures and shifting norms. Many modern parents struggle to maintain authority, often yielding to ineffective methods like counting to ten, time-outs, reasoning with toddlers, bargaining, bribing, or striving to be best friends with their children. These approaches frequently result in the child gaining control, undermining parental authority, as the child learns they can always win, leading to a loss of parental control over time. Among the parenting styles identified in a 2012 study by the University of Virginia's Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, the "detached" style, comprising about 19% of American parents, stands out for its neglectful nature. These parents adopt a hands-off approach, encapsulated by the motto "let kids be kids and let the chips fall where they may." They avoid interference, often watching their children run wild in public without intervention, rationalizing that involvement might cause a scene. This laissez-faire attitude stems from a lack of certainty about outcomes and a weak sense of their own efficacy in shaping their children's lives. Alarmingly, few detached parents report happiness in their marriages, and about half spend less than two hours a day engaging with their children, even when they are very young. Such parents often isolate their children in separate spaces, prioritizing their own interests over interaction, revealing a self-centered and irresponsible approach to parenting that neglects the effort needed to guide their children's growth.

In the wake of tragic events like the Columbine High School massacre, the debate over responsibility often points to various factors, including parenting. It is evident that the parenting practices of many Americans are lacking, with no consistent standard in place. Children frequently seem to raise themselves while parents are preoccupied with other pursuits. Even in affluent areas, parents may fail to notice alarming behaviors in their children, such as fascination with harmful ideologies or dangerous activities. This apathy and negligence likely play a significant role in such devastating outcomes. Parenting is under siege in our society, with many parents prioritizing work and personal entertainment over family. This inversion of priorities, driven by selfishness, places God and family lower on the list, causing spiritual and family life to stagnate or collapse. Consequently, the quality of life for both parents and children suffers. Many parents seek to delegate their responsibilities to others—government, schools, police, day care, or even television—spending minimal time with their children. This avoidance stems from viewing parenting as a burdensome chore, an excuse to pursue personal desires at the expense of their children's needs. The responsibility for rearing godly children rests squarely on parents, not on external entities or the children themselves. Parents must invest time in teaching, training, and disciplining their children, passing on wisdom, skills, and good habits. Neglecting these duties is not just a failure to the children but a reflection of misplaced priorities, undermining the foundational role of family as intended by God.