Mumsnet Talk

2 nights in a row. (Know it's mid-term but ) these children only looked like they were between 10 and 14 years old. Running up and down street from 4am for over an hour. Shouting and barking. Sitting on neighbours low front wall with can of (they threw them in neighbours and my garden) alcopops, a couple of them smoking. The swearing that was coming from them. heard one neighbour shout from their window only to be answered in a torrent of abuse and children throwing things at their window.

I'm not so much (but a bit)angry at THEM, but where the f****are their so-called parents?

Do people not worry? What are the 'responsible parents' doing? Are the children like this cos their 'breeders' dont care? And btw they were not dressed for the winter either.

YABU in thinking that they have responsible parents.

Yes, some children sadly have parents who don't care

Absolutely. Please note that's why I put 'responsible parents' in quotation marks!!

I would have phoned the police.

I really dont like the term 'breeder', its what my homosexual friends use to describe hetrosexuals in a very derogatory way.

I assume she meant they didn't deserve the title of parents

Holly then what would you call them? people who 'make' children and then seemingly neglect them don't deserve to be called parents.

parent isn't a label, it's a verb, it's an honour, it's a blessing.

Same goes for children.

It's very worrying I sometimes see, what I perceive to be, young teenagers out at all hours and think "what are they doing out, in this weather? Why aren't they at home?"

It just appears they are wandering the streets, no purposeful walking somewhere, just roaming.

maybe im just getting old but i was NEVER allowed to be out after 10pm and that was when I was 16. I was allowed till midnight when i hit 18, but while i was under my parents roof i abided. and I never complained, everywhere shut around those times anyway and i was quite happy to go back to my nice warm home and bed.

plus...what the flip is out there at that time of night/morning anyway?

>throws hand sup<

I dunno - MN just makes me so goddamed fence sittery it hurts the piles of my arse!

In my town there are a lot of private children's homes. In my field of work I have come across several 14 year olds who live in these homes and stay out at night with friends.

It's a sad fact that many children/young people do not have anyone to care about their whereabouts.

I would have called the local police station.

Nobody cares for them. Then you wonder why traffickers/abusers are able to misuse them for the price of a bag of chips and an alcopop

They have all told their parents they are staying at each other's houses and no one has checked. That may not be the most responsible parent in the world but it's better than the idea that their parents just don't care

I know. Thats why I was trying not to be mad at the children, but felt so sad for them. and i dont know who they are and what they get up to but it sadly wouldnt surprise me if some of these children end up on the wrong side of the tracks.

Makes me weep it really does. Makes me want to be even more protective of DC.

You don't actually know that no one cares for them, you have no idea what their home lifes are like.
When I was 14 my friends and I came up with all kinds of schemes to be out as late as possible, staying at each others houses etc etc. My parents were excellent and very much loved me.
Yanbu to feel that they are causing a nuisance and to call the local police, at least thrown you could be sure that their parents would be made aware of their behaviour and whereabouts if they are not already.

Your area has local police ?ffs! local police who will attend and have a word with the little scamps? where are you <60"s Britain?

I don't know why you're asking us when you should be asking the Police?

Maybe ask the police if they're causing a disturbance, and maybe no one does care which is awful. But do bear in mind that their parents could be loving and responsible, however 14 year olds can be sneaky and able to find a way of staying out if they want to, telling different parents they're at someone else's house or something like that.

Either way, the police will do it. If they have caring parents, they'll get a bollocking and not do it again, if no one at home gives a shit maybe they can get someone to intervene or help the family.