A majority of parents surveyed say American society is an inhospitable climate for raising children, where parents can never let down their guard in the face of popular culture, drugs and crime.

Nearly half the parents we surveyed for "A Lot Easier Said Than Done" said that they worry more about protecting their child from negative social influences than they do about paying the bills or having enough family time together. Six in 10 rated their generation as either "fair" or "poor" in raising children.

Relatively few parents believe they have been successful in teaching their kids the values they consider "absolutely essential."

This study was conducted for the State Farm Insurance Companies, with additional funding from the Family Friendly Programming Forum.