Some years ago, well known TV journalist Bill Moyers produced a television documentary called "The Vanishing Family".

It focused on how so many single mothers were struggling to raise children without the support of fathers, and the many social problems the community faced as a result. One young man interviewed for the programme actually boasted about being a baby maker, and there was nothing he could do about it. He simply giggled over having more than one woman pregnant at the same time.

One of these women spoke openly about her struggle, and said the problem seemed very profound among young black men. Sadly, after the programme aired, she died from falling down a flight of stairs.

One young girl on the programme said she tried to get the father of her baby interested, but she said he was practically a child himself, with no idea what it meant to be a father. In some cases the girl, in order to support herself and the baby, had to place the child with a relative while she worked.

Fortunately a number of organisations exist to help girls in this predicament, and so they are able to further their education, but nevertheless it requires considerable sacrifice. The programme pointed out that the missing father syndrome was causing a chain reaction in broken families.

Here in Bermuda, the family as we once knew it is fast becoming an endangered species. This is not to say things were perfect in the old days, but there was more family life with more conversation at the meal table. The general perception of a well balanced family is a unit with both parents actively trying their best to guide young minds in their care. However today with peer pressure, and countless distractions, it is far from an easy task.

In a society where more and more young women are being father and mother, the likelihood that some children might slip through the cracks is high.

Even in Bermuda we have some young men who openly boast about getting a girl pregnant, as though it elevates them to some status among their friends, at least until the responsibility that goes with it hits home.

Some of these young men are themselves the product of dysfunctional families, and have low self esteem, laced with an anti social attitude. They are difficult to employ, because they feel the world already owes them something. Often they end up on the wrong side of the law trying to get by without working. Young men in our society must realise that there is no shortcut to success. They need to know that education holds the key to good jobs and a better life.

Becoming a father is one thing, but being one is another. A real father is willing to spend time and energy in building a bond with his offspring through thick and thin, knowing good values last a lifetime. Many seniors in our society today attribute their success to hard work and a solid belief that doing the right thing is always the best route to follow in life. In a world today clustered with greed, materialism and declining basic values, it is not surprising that many young people want everything without earning it.

If the bottom falls out of the family unit, the values we have cherished over years, will be at even greater risk. The challenge is trying to prevent it from happening. No one can alter the past, but together we can do something about the future.