Then Show 'em How to Live

[Intro — vinyl crackle, children playing faintly in background] “They say the children are our future…” I hear that all the time. But a future don’t raise itself. If we don’t teach ’em today… What exactly are we leaving tomorrow? [Verse 1] They say the children are the future, I question the phrase, ‘Cause a seed without water ain’t surviving for days. We hand ‘em the world then disappear from the frame, Then blame the child when they don’t understand the game. Give ‘em a screen before a book, let algorithms teach, Then wonder why their dreams only go as far as they reach. Everybody wants a child that’ll someday succeed, But who’s sitting beside ‘em when they’re learning to read? Teach ‘em money ain’t everything, but understand what it’s worth, Teach ’em character matters more than labels on shirts. Teach ‘em actions made today got tomorrow attached, Some doors don’t reopen once you permanently latch. Don’t just tell ‘em, “Don’t.” Tell ’em why. Let ’em question what you teach, Let ’em look you in the eye. ’Cause knowledge without understanding is just words memorized. Give a child the truth and let ’em recognize the lies. [Hook — low group vocals] Children are the future… Then show ’em how to live. You can’t expect tomorrow from what today refused to give. Put a book inside their hands, Put some knowledge in their mind. Teach ’em how to walk these streets without becoming what they find. Children are the future… Then prepare ’em for the day. We can’t choose their whole direction— But we can help ’em find the way. [Verse 2] Give ’em street smarts without teaching ’em to hustle in the street. There’s a difference between survival and accepting defeat. Teach ‘em read the room, know when something ain’t right, Know when pride ain’t worth turning an argument to a fight. Teach your daughter self-respect ain’t measured in attention, Teach your son being a man ain’t aggression and detention. Teach ‘em everybody smiling ain’t necessarily friends, And the people yelling “family” ain’t always there in the end. Teach ‘em shake a man’s hand, look somebody in the eyes, But don’t judge another person by their clothes or their size. Teach ‘em respect ain’t fear. There’s a difference between the two. And being kind don’t mean letting everybody walk over you. Show ’em neighborhoods but show ‘em there’s a world beyond the block. Show ‘em clocks keep moving whether they’re prepared or not. The street can teach lessons— But the tuition can be years. So give ’em some wisdom before experience charges arrears. [Hook] Children are the future… Then show ’em how to live. You can’t expect tomorrow from what today refused to give. Put a book inside their hands, Put some knowledge in their mind. Teach ’em how to walk these streets without becoming what they find. [Verse 3 — soulful sample becomes louder] And they’re gonna make mistakes. Let ’em. You did too. Don’t make a child terrified of admitting something to you. If every mistake gets anger, they’ll start hiding the truth. Then somebody outside your house becomes the one they listen to. Let ’em fall sometimes. But teach ’em how to rise. Ask ’em what they learned instead of only asking why. Consequences matter, but so does another try. We ain’t raising perfect people— We’re preparing them for life. Teach ‘em failure ain’t fatal if the lesson gets retained. Teach ‘em losing ain’t losing when some wisdom was gained. Teach ‘em scars can become maps showing where they shouldn’t go, And sometimes getting something wrong is exactly how you grow. [Bridge — drums disappear] Maybe our job isn’t to build their whole road. Maybe it’s giving them enough tools to build one of their own. Because one day… We won’t be walking beside them. And everything we taught ’em is gonna have to walk in our place. [Final Verse — hardest drums of the song] So put the phone down sometimes, sit together and talk. Take your child through the neighborhood, teach ’em while you walk. Tell ’em about your failures, not just everything you bought. ’Cause the lessons from your losses might be everything they sought. Teach ’em credit. Teach ’em saving. Teach ’em working for a check. Teach ’em love without becoming dependent on respect. Teach ‘em how to say they’re sorry, how to recognize regret. Teach ’em reputation takes a lifetime and a minute to wreck. Teach ’em family. Teach ’em history. Teach ’em where they came from. Teach ‘em strength ain’t what you take— It’s what you overcome. Then when tomorrow finally comes and we’re too old to lead… Maybe they’ll become the future we kept saying they would be. [Final Hook — children’s voices faintly underneath] Children are the future… Then give ’em something real. Give ’em knowledge. Give ’em patience. Teach ’em how to think and feel. Give a book instead of screens every minute of the day. Give ’em street smarts for the world— Not the streets to show the way. And when they make mist