For teens it may be a poor choice of friends. The person we hang out with leads us in the wrong direction. Parents may make a good decision about their child's future but they implement the decision at the wrong time. It's true, there are many millionaire atheists and agnostics. Many people do make it financially, and socially without God.
Statistics show that devout Christian families are happier and enjoy more wholesome relationships.
The Bible says that anyone who thinks he or she can survive death without God is a fool. The bottom line is, failure to give thanks distorts our value system. A large segment of the environmental movement worships creation and not the creator. Some place more value on nature than on man the crowning glory of God's creation. This leads to distortions in our society where animal value has a premium over human value.