Kids often complain they are bored. What is the alternative to hanging out on street corners?

Question

If you were a kid - aged say 12 - 16 - what would you like your town to provide for you as entertainment.
The sight of little kids in tiny miniskirts harassing customers to buy them alcohol, in the middle of winter, really freaks me out. Surely there's more to life than this!
So tell us, what would you want?

Street cred is very important, I think. Which is why do-gooder things like alcohol free bars tend to vanish quite quickly. Also, do kids have the experience to judge what they want? One minute they're ininprimary school and the next, they're too young to hit that mecca, clubs?

And cheap, or free, by the way.

Answer 1

They've no reason to be bored, kids these days have so much that we didn't have. Playstation, Xbox, mp3 players, the internet, mobile phones.

The only shortfall is the outdoor leisure facilities and lets face it, there's always been leisure centres. If they have money for booze, they could always use it to go swimming, or something.

What annoys me is that there are always signs in malls and carparks not to play ball games or skate. But there aren't enough places where kids can do this. Town planners need to arrange more parks and playgrounds and bring them up to date. Make them suitable for kids of any age, from 1 to 18.

Another thing that bugs me is that there is so much pressure on kids to buy stuff. And they don't have a stable income besides their parents. How can anyone have any self respect if they depend on charity to fit in because I remember that that is how it feels. I'm not saying they need to be given jobs, I'm saying we need to remind everyone that the best things in life are free. Isn't that still the case? If not, we should make it the case.

Damn, I should put this into my blog.

Answer 2

Gather the parents around, they must all have the same lament unless they're filling their kids time with xbox, tv videos and dvds. You need a teen center, one where it's cool to go to. Besides the adults who will have to rally to get the funds,you're going to need to find some exemplery older teens who want to make some extra money - these people have to be cool enough that it won't seem like a dork thing to go there. Before anyone rails on me, this my suggestion for the first year it's open and maybe the 2nd, by the third year you'll have teens that are going now wanting to be counselors. Have a theatre group, band, sports, a braniac group (games, puzzles etc) But the ultimate deal is that throughout the year they have to really interact with each other. So if your putting on a play, maybe have the brains design the set and the sports kids doing something else. Or if your sports team needs support, enlist the theatre kids, and the brains to do something so you can teach them to all get together in a non threatning environment where they are not competeting AGAINST each other. And by having the "cool" older kids running you have automatic buy in, and then it becomes a tradition. Naturally the younger siblings will go and if they stay there and have kids there-Their kids will go and now you have two generations of lowly - or noly paid volunteers!!! I've done it if you want some more ideas email me... PLus rules, no smoking no pot, no drugs, yes dress code, no boy/girl going off behind the loo. (Someone said you were British, I no doubt astonished you with my vernacular just then!)

Answer 3

I will assume by what you write you are form the UK. And this is and has been a serious issue for quite some time. but when you live in a concrete jungle, the city council is to blame of not using ones taxes properly. Gyms, Interactive museums, Parks, Music, cycling, organizations (scouts), outings (with parents) etc. But, Not only the council is to blame. Parents have to play their part also, by gettin kids intrested in diffent things like art, music, reading, writing, craft modeling, there are so many things people can do. People now a days just don;t bother or for that matter don't care any more. what a shame.

Answer 4

all i ever wanted was the choice to do what i liked...that was sports...and i did...but some of my friends parents didn't care..they wouldn't get rides to activities.. they didn't get that support that they needed to achieve what they wanted, they didn't get that love that comes from such parents. My mom would watch to see what i had on before i walked out that door. It has allot to do with the parents. Kids aren't that bored..they are just tired of not having anything in their interest to do. A lot of my friends turned bad because their parents lacked that attention we so desperately needed at that time. I would have been shot ...if I were caught hanging out by a store asking for beer and ciggs. I always got a hug when I came home from anywhere...i know mom loved me...but now that I am older I also see it was her way of checking my breath and clothes for alcohol or tobacco Oder. We didn't have any money so I knew what my limits were so I did what I could. Peer pressure put that extra edge on kids to look dressed to the nines...and with lack of funds kids can become outcast and start hanging out with the rebellious ones...who don't understand that parents were either trying or they rebelled against the ones that didn't care.

Answer 5

There is still plenty for kids to do, like Scouts/Guides, Air Training Core, Army Cadets, Music clubs like bands etc, they could get an evening job and earn some pocket money. They could play sport with their friends, like football in the park, badminton, go swimming, squash, go for a cycle ride.

I did a lot of these things as a kid in the 70/80s and life was great.

I suppose for kids now a days, they are too lazy to do any of these things, and they just aren't seen as trendy!

What a sad world it is becoming in some respects!

Answer 6

I know Birmingham used to (still has?) have a non-alcoholic bar designed for 14-25 age range called The Vine.
There are occasional youth projects started up, but invariably they close pretty quickly due to lack of interest. They take away the street cred, you see.
There are rollerdiscos and stuff around and about, plus there's ice skating up at Ally Pally and other places.
That's about it really.

Answer 7

There are plenty of alternatives to hanging around on street corners,kids just can't be bothered.At home they have all got a ps2,xbox,tv,dvd & computer(kids who group on steps outside my house have,'cos they all talk to each other about them)there is a youth centre about 20 mins away,wich none of them use,& the park is less than 10 min walk away,wich they don't use,they stand on the steps,drinkin their stubbies of bud,the girls with lambrini,then come up my driveway 4 a wee.They don't want to go to a park because there aren't enough moving cars to throw bricks at,and someone's living room window being smashed is a better sound than a bottle being smashed,even more entertaining is if there is a person behind the living room window,then kids can watch fun of ambulance turning up.kids have no respect for people,property,etc,if they see a kid with a nice bike they take it.They used to having everything they want given to them,they have no idea of the value of money,& unfortunately they are not taught these things.They want an mp3 player,they ask,they get.parent(s) are workin 2 provide 4 kids,give them what they never had when they were young,but leave kids to own devices in evenings while mum watches the soaps in peace,dad goes the pub,or if parent(s)don't work,they turn up at jobcentre plus screaming their giro never turned up,need cash now,give kids what they want so parent(s) have time 2 themselves in eve.I am a single mum,I work part-time my 12 year old son has a ps2 and him & his freind play on it if weather bad.If weather is nice,they go in my garden or friends garden & play football or cricket(if they play in street kids on steps pinch the ball)my 10 year daughter(not in mini skirt)has her friends round,goes to her bedroom and have hairstyle competions(which I am the judge)she goes to her friends houses,they do the same there(also there mum's are the judge)most of these kids have been thrown in the steet to (go with yer mate's & give us some peace)they don't know how to entertain themselves, when i tell them to stop weeing in my driveway(14 year old girls pulling their pants down while my kids are playing in garden next 2 them is worse)and tell them to go and hang around a park or somewhere with more to do the answer is allways"can't be arsed"

Answer 8

I agree that it's the parents' responsibility to form their children to become interested in a lot of things at an earlier age like providing them with appropriate books, toys and fun activities that would encourage them to be creative and imaginative. But if this wasn't done at an earlier age, perhaps what a parent could do would be to spend time with their children and give them a chance to vent. Listen to them. Try changing the scenery. Or start a project together and make it enjoyable, just so you could spend quality time with them.

Answer 9

every town has sport centres, libararys, whole range of clubs and activities, parks, places to visit and things to do. even in the most advanced cities packed with things to entertain, kids mope around complaining they have nothing to do. kids often ask for basketball courts, skateboard areas etc then never use them or they become places for gangs to hang and get blotched making them no go areas for decent kids. youth clubs are seen as uncool so are a non starter.

lets be honest those kids who hang around off licences never amount to anything anyway so we should direct our resources to the kids who try their best in life. kids who get good grades at school or show improvement should get discounts in shops and cheaper access to public events, cinema, sportcentres etc.

Answer 10

Kids need to learn to entertain themselves, without alcohol or drugs or illegal activities. I'm 19, I'm not some geezer, I miss being 15/16/17, you can act crazy as long as you're smart about it (no, not drinking/drugs). People like to blame drugs and alcohol on boredom, but people just lack creativity, they want INSTANT gratification.