Where were your kids last nite?

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Shawnski

Fine, then they can't drive until they are 18.

Can't have your cake and eat it too.

Sounds good to me.

[KevanGuy]

I was wondering what all the sirens were about. This is all about 2 blocks from my place. I've actually noticed that past little while there was more graffiti around (including some pretty sick stuff written on the clinic on Fairmont). Throw in the increased bottle pickers and dumpster scavengers and it definitely inst as nice a place to live as it used to be.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by llama64

<imho>
I believe a large portion of the problems faced by society today in regards to youth crime stems from people treating people under the age of 18 in an adult manner. To expect a 16 year old to comprehend the consequences of their actions in the same way a 26 year old would is dangerous and really does a disfavor to the person.
</imho>

at 16 you can drive, are fit for military service, can drop out of school, can get a job, etc, etc. all of which have a pretty hefty amount of responsibilities and possible consequences behind them. they are expected to be able to do all these things on their own but when it comes to deciding if going around smashing other people's windows is right or wrong, they suddenly become incapable of reasoning?

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

the f'd up 'justice' system?

yes typical...let's blame it on that...lets have the justice system bring up our kids...good thinking! ..its the jutice system that has failed my kids who are out vandalizing property on a monday night...

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

at 16 you can drive, are fit for military service, can drop out of school, can get a job, etc, etc. all of which have a pretty hefty amount of responsibilities and possible consequences behind them. they are expected to be able to do all these things on their own but when it comes to deciding if going around smashing other people's windows is right or wrong, they suddenly become incapable of reasoning?

These responsibilities arent given to kids because society thinks they are responsible dude..its for our convience...also thought the military was 18..anyways..you can get a job because at one point society needed the manpower and parents wanted their kids to earn their own money, cause life is continously getting more expensive....they can drop out of school..because face it 50 years ago you could still succeed and go to university..old law that has never been changed...you can drive at 16..yet what is the number one cause of deaths among teens? - responsble no...

It too bad that you like to make excuses and think that how you raise your children isnt going to effect them..another good parent in the making...christ

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

These responsibilities arent given to kids because society thinks they are responsible dude..its for our convience...also thought the military was 18..anyways..you can get a job because at one point society needed the manpower and parents wanted their kids to earn their own money, cause life is continously getting more expensive....they can drop out of school..because face it 50 years ago you could still succeed and go to university..old law that has never been changed...you can drive at 16..yet what is the number one cause of deaths among teens? - responsble no...

It too bad that you like to make excuses and think that how you raise your children isnt going to effect them..another good parent in the making...christ

huh - wait what? i'm not saying the parents are blameless if they did a poor job raising their kids. but by 16 you should be able to take responsibility for your actions.

at what age is it not ok to fall back on the excuse "mommy didn't hug me"? what magically happens on your 18th birthday?

[MelBridgeman]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

huh - wait what? i'm not saying the parents are blameless if they did a poor job raising their kids. but by 16 you should be able to take responsibility for your actions.

at what age is it not ok to fall back on the excuse "mommy didn't hug me"? what magically happens on your 18th birthday?

sorry bro..
everyone is different, the majority of kids do take responsibility at 16, i know i did .... some don't

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Phaneuf3

at 16 you can drive, are fit for military service, can drop out of school, can get a job, etc, etc. all of which have a pretty hefty amount of responsibilities and possible consequences behind them. they are expected to be able to do all these things on their own but when it comes to deciding if going around smashing other people's windows is right or wrong, they suddenly become incapable of reasoning?

No.. They are not equipped to understand the consequences in the same way that a more mature person would be able to. So to treat 16 year olds the same way you would treat a 26 year old is not adequate. Keep in mind that while I haven't previously said so, I am speaking in general terms and reserve judgment for individual people.

Personally, I don't see any reason to have kids under 18 driving or in the military. The latter especially since they are not legally able to vote.

As an aside, if we can't trust kids enough to let them vote, why do we trust them to drive a vehicle in a public space where lives could be lost due to bad decision making (txt'ing while going 145km?)? Answer is, we shouldn't be giving them this trust.

That said, I think a lot of the privileges given automatically at the age of 18 should not be so automatic. They should be earned after meeting a requirement more in-depth then simply living long enough. If things were able to be earned, instituting an arbitrary age limit would be less necessary and we could have responsible and qualified 16 year olds doing things while the immature ones are prevented from causing harm.

But I've just gone way off topic and am in to rambling territory.

[Rathji]

Just give the homeowners and people who use the bus stop a free shot at them with a slingshot.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Just give the homeowners and people who use the bus stop a free shot at them with a slingshot.

That was my original idea, but figured some would find it too vulgar.

Physical punishment works for animals. Works for humans too.

[Slava]

I know that this is never a popular stance here...but I can't help myself! Maybe if adults started helping these kids find more productive use of their time this kind of thing wouldn't happen as often? Maybe if there were somewhere to go and do something then these kids wouldn't have to look around for the "fun" that this probably gave them.

I'm certainly not letting them off the hook in this case specifically. Its just a general concern of mine. There is nothing for kids to do...so they do stuff they shouldn't be doing in the first place!

[4X4]

3 cheers for new hockey arenas.

[llama64]

Originally Posted by Slava

I know that this is never a popular stance here...but I can't help myself! Maybe if adults started helping these kids find more productive use of their time this kind of thing wouldn't happen as often? Maybe if there were somewhere to go and do something then these kids wouldn't have to look around for the "fun" that this probably gave them.

I'm certainly not letting them off the hook in this case specifically. Its just a general concern of mine. There is nothing for kids to do...so they do stuff they shouldn't be doing in the first place!

Does shipping them off to a diamond mine in the NWT count?

<--- Grumpy old man hat

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Ah yes the old 'Idle hands are the work of the devil' arguement.

Hate to get picky like 2015 Biff Tannen, but it's "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop".

[Slava]

Originally Posted by llama64

Does shipping them off to a diamond mine in the NWT count?

<--- Grumpy old man hat

I know where you are coming from...and I can't say that I totally disagree. I just wish that some proactive solutions were being tried in the meantime of forcing the kids to mine for us, that's all!

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Slava

I know that this is never a popular stance here...but I can't help myself! Maybe if adults started helping these kids find more productive use of their time this kind of thing wouldn't happen as often? Maybe if there were somewhere to go and do something then these kids wouldn't have to look around for the "fun" that this probably gave them.

I'm certainly not letting them off the hook in this case specifically. Its just a general concern of mine. There is nothing for kids to do...so they do stuff they shouldn't be doing in the first place!

I have a problem with this. I think the opposite is the problem. From the 70's, 80's up, kids have grown up with what I call Sesame Street syndrome. Do something for 30 seconds, oh oh , better do something else, they might be getting bored. Ok, on to something new, 30 seconds is up, oh oh, better try something new, seems junior is getting bored yet again.

So they grow up never having to be bored, always in one activity or another, quick quick quick, on to something new. I think parents fear giving their children the opportunity to have some idle time with nothing to do.

And sadly these kids grow up NOT KNOWING what to do in their spare time, not knowing how to relax and do nothing sometimes, not knowing that down time is ok too.

Nothing wrong with being involved in activities, but too much can lead to other problems as well. You have to find a happy medium.

It does not always follow that children enrolled in many activities do not turn to criminal behaviour at some time in their life. Nor does it follow that those children who are not enrolled in activities turn to criminal behaviour later on in life.

There is more to parenting than merely enrolling your children in activities.

[Bobblehead]

Why does it need to be an either/or thing. Why can't both be at fault. The parents must take some responsibility, the onus is on them to have attempted to instill a sense of respect into their children. The 16 years olds have responsibility since they should know better and if they want the freedom associated with growing up, they need to take responsibility for their actions.

Make the parents pay for the damage, give the kids community service requirements, something along the lines of graffiti cleanup.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

I was wondering what all the sirens were about. This is all about 2 blocks from my place. I've actually noticed that past little while there was more graffiti around (including some pretty sick stuff written on the clinic on Fairmont). Throw in the increased bottle pickers and dumpster scavengers and it definitely inst as nice a place to live as it used to be.

Yeah, its really close to where I live too, and yet once again I escape the carnage completely unscathed.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by MelBridgeman

sorry bro..
everyone is different, the majority of kids do take responsibility at 16, i know i did .... some don't

Fair point. Parents aren't usually blameless, but there certainly are kids out there that will be jerks no matter what. A first cousin of mine was given all the love in the world, didn't matter, he was still a dick. My grandfather told me when I was 10 that this kid was going to die in prison. Low and behold, he's serving a life term for murder.

[return to the red]

line the little pukes up and shoot ball bearings at them with a slingshot. While they are down on the ground writhing in pain spray paint profanities all over them.

That'll teach em