Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

to think this is so typical of the way our society views teenagers?

48 replies

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 11:39

We have a new skate park opening in our town today. It has been promised for about 20 years and even now it is only a small park - a fraction of the size of the one originally planned by the district council. However... better than nothing.

Currently children who want to skate are harried and hassled from one end of the town to the other - unoffical 'skate parks' (such as hillocks and mounds in parks) have been flattened, skaters get moved on from anywhere they try to skate.

(Incidentally our pool was closed down recently in the most high-handed and undemocratic manner imaginable so there is one less activity for teenagers and younger children. )

So all in all the grand opening of the skate park is a much anticipated event - we will have pro-skaters, t-shirts handed out and DS#1 is so excited he even got up with me at 7am! But whilst searching for news of it I came across this on a police website;

"Due to the pending Easter holidays the park will be in demand by a number of youths. The SSN team will target patrols and utilise CCTV to minimise neighbourhood concerns. The local youth workers are also aware "

So even when they are doing their thing, a healthy activity that promotes skill and agility, gets them out in the fresh air taking aerobic exerise, in the place designed for it and paid for by us, they are the target of mistruct and assumptions about their behaviour. I despair.

Perhaps I should just tuck him up in front of his X-box and lock him in

OP posts:

MathsMadMummy · 09/04/2010 17:31

oh FGS. there is a point about the 'bad kids' turning up and possibly ruining the fun of the kids who just want to skate. but I think it's unfair to just assume that from the start.

I loved skating, always wanted to try all the ramps, tricks etc but would've been way too intimidated to go to a skate park. but I'm a naturally timid person I think.

We're lucky in our town, we've got a skate park, and they recently opened a Parkour (free running) training ground - kind of defeats the point of free running in a way, but still! something else to do and it takes an awful lot of strength and skill. I'm not sure how relevant it is that it's in the most deprived/crime-ridden part of town. they have an amazing new playground too.

iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 09/04/2010 18:52

I agree with you ORM teens always get such a bad press.

This is especially true on the reality type 'aren't teens crap at everything' programmes.

The teens I know are polite, sometimes shy and awkward, funny, kind and desperate to be liked and thought well of.

I think the thing that 'scares' people about teens is a tendency not to make eye contact with adults and I feel this is more about generally lacking in self confidence than evil intentions, but I'm sure the latter is what goes through lots of peoples' minds when they pass teenagers in the street.

On your OP about the police visiting the skate park tho' I sort of understand as sadly most youths are likely to be on the receivng end of theft or violence from kids the same age, so maybe this is the motivation behind their presence.

PortiaPie · 09/04/2010 19:22

Dreadful. Teenagers don't stand a chance, I feel for them.

I was out walking today with my friend and our young children. We passed a couple of groups of teenage hikers, and every one of them smiled and said hello.

piscesmoon · 09/04/2010 19:30

It is a shame. Often they can look intimidating and be lovely. When my DSs were little they weren't worried by them because they had a teenage brother. For example if the teenagers were sitting on the slide my DSs would just toddle over to use the slide and they always smiled and moved.

Clarissimo · 09/04/2010 19:33

Oh Orm thats a shame

And you know my parents agted 65 and 61 are looking forwards to the opening (they live very close), they like teenagers and thinbk tghey are at their best when engaged and part of the community

which they are

Clarissimo · 09/04/2010 19:35

And yes round your way at elastr the police know exactly who the trouble makers are and they go unbothered becuase it's too much hassle.....

another reason to stick here a bit longer

Majestic · 09/04/2010 19:37

That's atrocious and I particularly hate the word Youths in that context - it makes them immediately sound menacing! Hope he had a great time

Clarissimo · 09/04/2010 19:39

And MZ my aprents are the neighbours and they are not concerned

They are older too, but think it is a big +++, somewhere to take ds1 when he stays (he likes his skating but the park ehre is miles away and shite)

This park is arguably in the roughesta rea (there are a selection to choose from) but it's one where I (Peachy) grew up and did OK.

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 19:40

Thanks!

He had a great time. He was up there with the best of 'em And has a skinned knee and wrist and a buggered deck as a result. Plus the sun has made all his freckles come out

OP posts:

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 19:42

peachy - I must admit Vicky Park was one of the places that freaked me out pre-kids because I heard 6 yr olds swearing. I was very innocent in those days It can only make things better - the whole community centre seems to be brilliant.

OP posts:

Clarissimo · 09/04/2010 19:47

I pretty much grew up in that park, the old oak tree (pre barriers) was almost my second home, that and Jungle (tree lined area t'other side of canal, now housing)
And mump (where those awful docks flats are- sort of manmade hillock)

and field (back of feversham rtoad....)

now elderly perosons estate

so really when you think there's sod all left is there?

It is rou8gher than when I grew up, Mum tells DH and I off for taking the piss out of the hoodies because fair enough we drive away and they might know which house we came from, but it's still not that bad, it's just kids and people after all.

ANd anyway never heard so much swearing in my life as the kids here in their nice MC Church School!

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 20:08

I think it must be the mump that they flattened. Children were skating and BMXing up and down it.

OP posts:

barefootinthepark · 09/04/2010 20:14

yes i heart sk8terboys and girls

they are shambolic but lovely

shame orm

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 20:18

I actually encountered a skater mom today! She had come with the skate team from Bournmouth of all places - they were sponsored by a shoe company. And 'mom' had come with 3 of the boys - and OMG wasn't she heavy! I was quite surprised - making her boys do tricks just so she could get photos. And this was at 6pm when they'd been at it since 11.

I feel inadequate.

Note to self: must get blond highlights and a puffy hair style and a suede jacket.

OP posts:

Clarissimo · 09/04/2010 20:18

mump was a bit steep, that was a good few years ago that went- when I was still a kid

loads of otehr bits though that the kids did BMX up: didn't we all?

skidoodly · 09/04/2010 20:24

They build skate parks in an attempt to stop skaters skating in other public places but then they realise they've just created a dedicated space for skaters and their mates to congregate.

So teenagers aren't welcome to just do teenager things wherever they choose, and then they have the place they've been corralled targeted by the police as somewhere that trouble is likely to start.

It's all a bit of a vicious circle.

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 09/04/2010 20:43

It is indeed skidoodly.

OP posts:

wastingaway · 09/04/2010 21:23

I don't understand why skaters are considered scary. Marty McFly wasn't very intimidating was he?
There's a skatepark at the end of our road and I love to see the youngsters skating and bmxing.

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 10/04/2010 18:30

We popped in to the skate board shop in town. The owner is very involved with the skating community. She was telling me how impressed the PCOS and the local 'outdoor events' office from the council were at the behaviour of the skaters. No fights, no booze, no drugs, no anti-social behaviour - just a load of 'youths' concentrating totally on their sport. Not even any accidents.

So the day might have done some good.

OP posts:

Clarissimo · 11/04/2010 11:16

That's good news
Am wondering if board shop still run by family I knew Back Then LOL but can't sat why

Original poster

OrmRenewed · 11/04/2010 19:56

Owner called Hayley. With 2 DDs.

OP posts:

herladyshiplovesedward · 11/04/2010 20:07

ds (now 15) broke his shoulder at our local skate park a couple of years ago.. some very obliging older 'yoofs' called me from his mobile phone and looked after him until i got there but unfortunately that sort of story is unlikely to make headline news

also, i work on trauma & orthopaedic wards in an nhs hospital and quite reguarly the first people to stop and help an elderly person who has fallen in a public place will be teenagers.. again, this is not the sort of thing many people invisage when they hear the word teenager..

RunawayWife · 11/04/2010 20:20

Shocking that skaters get such bad press

Flip

1 2