Mother knows best. Or does she?

We learn from an early age to listen to what our parents tell us.

And why not, they’re older and wiser.

But, what if all that has been taught to us hasn’t always been the full truth?  In this week’s issue of the Centurion, our staff will discuss the lies our parents told us. Everything down to the core of the American Dream may in fact be a sham in today’s society.

The ideal American family: middle-aged father and mother with a couple kids and a dog in the backyard. Yet, how many households in the 21st century actually live up to these standards?  A growing number of homes these days are led by young single mothers. As reporter Luther Anderson puts it, “That old (family) portrait would require a lot less paint.”

Family and religion seem to go hand-in-hand. So would it be a surprise to find that the face of religion in the U.S. is changing as well?  A large number of young American’s are giving up religion entirely

“While some still keep the faith their parents preached, many have turned their backs on churches and other houses of God,” said reporter Craig Miller.  Religion isn’t the only thing young Americans are wary of.

The perils of homeownership have left many millennials with a sinking filling.  Those who bought before the 2007 economic bubble would be hard-pressed not to owe more on their mortgages than what their homes are worth.

“The beautiful house with the white picket fence isn’t what it’s cracked up to be,” according to reporter Anthony DiMattia.  How does a college-age American even get close to the dream of buying a home? Well, the obvious answer is to become a lawyer or get rich in the tech industry.

“Not so fast,” says reporter Kelly Armstrong. “Even the architect that designs the homes doesn’t bring in enough work to afford them. And don’t even bother with the ‘Jack of all Trades’ majors like Liberal Arts or Humanities,” she says.

When it comes to not bothering with something, many young athletes are doing just that in sports with their parents in mind. What starts out as a game for kids turns into a parent’s obsession, says reporter Robert Knuckles.  A growing number of adults are pushing children to play in sports to the point where kids have to lie to make their parents happy.

“With all the lying that this generation has been exposed to it’s no wonder that Generation Y has evolved to become pretty good group of liars,” says Armstrong.

Family, religion, homes, jobs, sports and society as a whole; just a few minor details our parents failed to explain properly.

Join us, as we explore the lies our parents told us.