...in thinking that it hasn't dawned on some posters...

[woollyideas]

...that their DCs will grow up to be teenagers one day? The amount of vitriol I've read on MN about feckless, feral, worthless teenagers is astonishing. For example (on these threads recently): let's make it compulsory for them all to join one of the armed services, let's implant them with long-lasting contraceptives...

AIBU in thinking that there are actually a lot of nice teenagers out there who are working hard for their GCSEs and A Levels, who have aspirations, who would like to get some part-time work if only they could, who are worrying about their futures, etc. etc. and that they are probably in the majority?

In this small town, they dedicated a special police patrol to check the park in the evenings. It's not for citizens' safety - it was a compromise to the outraged elders, who wanted the park closed at something like 4pm. The purpose of the special patrol is to break up groups of teenagers. The teenagers were meeting up in the park, skateboarding a bit and sometimes getting drunk on 2-litre bottles of budget cider. The police were none too happy about having to fulfil this duty, but they've been told to.

There has been no property damage, no threats to other park users' safety, no group sex under the bushes - just kids hanging out. There are no entertainment facilities for them here, not even a youth club or cinema. Atropos, I stand by my opinion of my fellow townspeople.

I'm very sympathetic to bored kids, who try to find something to do but are viewed with fear and suspicion everywhere they go. At least when I was 16, it was legal for me to go into pubs, there were yoof clubs and sports facilities, towns had cinemas and there were coffee shops that stayed open late, which let you nurse one drink for a couple of hours. (Obviously I went to 18+ night clubs, took drugs and so on, but I wasn't one of those nice kids )

all my kids wear hoodies.

i have a ds aged 21 looks rough as arseholes twins b/g aged 18 all really nice

there was some kind of ASB order in our town when they were all at secondary school, preventing more than two teenagers to 'loiter'

well, i did have a right old laugh about the three of them 'loitering' on the way home from school and getting arrested.

ASB order in our town when they were all at secondary school, preventing more than two teenagers to 'loiter' - Argh! Yes, THAT sort of thing!!!!

They should try making an order against mothers 'loitering' for a chat outside Boots. Or at the school gates

there are lots of lovely teenagers about even ones that hang around in gangs get them on their own and they are different. its very sad that we are so negative towards them and i hate to see them being called scum, little sods, bastards and so on it infuriates me that people are willing to call children such names and says far more about that person. that an adults will put down and verbally bully children yet many would scoff and look down on vigilantes that protest outside court, but what they are doing is only one step away from that. those teenagers feeling not that confident in themselves it does not help at all all the negativity towards them and it is us and our parents who has created this society yet it is them we kick down

Just a thought ... aren't these anti-teenage byelaws discriminatory? Has anybody tested it?

im opften to be found in areas considered to be disadvantaged - to do with work, and if ever i need help lifting and shifting stuff, the lads are only to glad to help me out and show off their strength

AND

give them a bit of responsability - door duty, signing people in, handing things out - 9 times out of ten they are excellent

linerunner

did you read my post?

for some kids a voluntary national service idea might be preferable to what they have at home..also probably better than young offender centres
still can see massive difficulties with it but it might work out for some and better than joining the army as a schoolchild or going to chokey

implants not compulsory but actually available freely might be nice

I'm 2 zillion miles away from being Tory btw

I too deplore the threads that seem to say that suddenly your DC stops being a child at 12, 13,14 and that you suddenly have to accept that they can choose where they go, what they do and who they see.
They gain more independence when they show they can handle it not on a particular birthday.

Some of you might like this:
www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/david-cameron-invents-the-scouts-201108164197/

I did Woolly. Well, not like exactly. More of a combined cynical titter and depressed shrug.