The Power of a Parent
Tom is a young man being raised on the poor streets of Los Angles by his father, Frank Smith. He becomes friends with his neighbors Ricky and Doughboy. The three young men take different paths in life, due in large part to the parenting they receive.
Tom is the only one of the three with a father to guide him. He sometimes hates his father's discipline, but Frank explains that he is trying to teach Tom how to be responsible. He does not want him to be like his little friends across the street. Frank also fills Tom's mind and heart with messages about how to be a leader and how much he is loved. Tom becomes a strong young man who is able to resist the bad influence around him.
Ricky receives words of support and love from his mother, which helps raise his self-respect. He also looks to Frank and Tom for guidance and direction. Living in a single-parent- family, he has never received this from his father. Doughboy, on the other hand, is told by his single mother from an early age that he will never achieve anything. Their mothers'words come true. The two boys grow up to be the type of person predicted by their mothers. Ricky becomes a star football player while Doughboy struggles aimlessly through life. The lesson from the story is clear: A parent's attitude towards his or her children can make all the difference.
1. Tom grows up in a poor neighborhood.