Actor Kirk Cameron says children today don't face same issues as in 'Growing Pains'
Thirty years ago Kirk Cameron played the role of a teenage boy in a family television show, “Growing Pains,” and today he is the father of six, helping navigate his children through their own growing pains.
An issue that young people have today that didn’t exist when Cameron played Mike Seaver in the ABC sitcom is social media. Instead of close friends, many teens have hundreds of virtual friends, who really are strangers but who can have a powerful impact.
“They carry a lot of influence in our children’s lives,” Cameron said in a telephone interview.
Cameron will be guest speaker for the Monday dinner sponsored by Christian Homes & Family Services. He will speak on “Growing Faith, Families, Futures.” Individual tickets, which cost $75, are available through Friday at christianhomes.com.
Since his years on “Growing Pains,” Cameron has been in numerous television shows and movies. His latest movie, “Connect,” which was released in February, is aimed at parents raising children in the age of social media.
A problem Cameron sees for young people today is that they have a harder time discerning right from wrong. Many don’t know what a healthy marriage looks like, he said, or a normal family.
“Morality is shifting and changing,” Cameron said.
It’s like pulling a compass out of your pocket and seeing that what used to be north is now south, making it difficult to know what is true north. But developing faith and being “friends with the creator of the universe” can point you in the right direction and provide a true compass.
“There’s no better decision you can make,” Cameron said, “than to pray to God and have strong faith in the one who made you.”
More:'Growing Pains' star in Abilene for Christian Homes fundraiser
At Monday’s dinner, Cameron will talk about his own faith journey and the work that Christian Homes & Family Services does, especially its adoption and foster care services. Faith and adoption are two topics Cameron loves to talk about and knows a lot about from experience.
Cameron and his wife, actress Chelsea Noble, met on the set of “Growing Pains.” They were married in 1991 and adopted four children before having two of their own. Their children range in age from 21 to 15.
“A lot of the driving force for us adopting kids,” Cameron said, “comes from our faith.”
Cameron grew up in Hollywood and joined the cast of “Growing Pains” when he was 14. He considered himself an atheist and had never been to church until a friend invited him when he was 17. In a video about his conversion to Christianity, Cameron tells of sitting in his sports car on Van Nuys Boulevard in Los Angeles after attending church and hearing a thoughtful minister. It started him thinking and questioning.
“God, if you’re there,” he said, “I want to know.”
That was the turning point in his life and he never looked back. Sometimes that decision caused friction on the set of “Growing Pains.” If he found parts of a script to be objectionable, he would tell the writer. He refused to compromise.
“I ran into some opposition,” Cameron said in the telephone interview, “and I ran into some ridicule.”
He knows from experience how difficult that can be, especially when facing peer pressure. But he also knows it can be done and that the reward is great. And, he tells young people, sticking with your beliefs gets easier each time.
“You’ve got to have convictions,” he said, “and you have to stand by them.”
If you go
What: Christian Homes & Family Services fall dinner
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday
Where: Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. Sixth St.
Speaker: Kirk Cameron, who played the role of Mike Seaver in the 1980’s sitcom “Growing Pains.” Since then, he has appeared in numerous television and movie productions. His latest film, “Connect,” was released in February.
Admission: Individual tickets, which cost $75, are available at christianhomes.com Sales end Friday.