Even the more responsible parents commonly turn their children over to juvenile baby sitters and television for extended periods. At the same time they shower the children with the latest and most expensive gadgetry. The parents raise the expectations of the children without teaching patience and productivity. The child that never has to wait for the new bicycle or video game grows to adulthood expecting instant gratification. Children run to mommy or daddy.
Adults run to government.
Downgrading the importance of raising children is the greatest evil of our times. For the survival of civilization, training children is the most important job anyone can do. No society has ever done a perfect job raising children. Each generation in doing less of a job than its predecessor. Unless we reverse this trend our civilization is doomed.