Why are more and more children turning into hooligans? What are we doing wrong?

Question

I was on my home from shopping on Saturday and I got on a train. When it stopped at a station, I heard a thud and realised that someone had thrown something at my window. As I looked out, I saw a girl in a track suit, no more than 13-14 who then went on to stick her fingers up at me, with no provocation or anything of the sort. I was angry at the time but now I feel sorry for her. But I don't understand where this mentality to harass others comes from! Any thoughts on this?

Answer 1

I worked with young care leavers and excluded kids for a while in the early part of this year, gave up as do not have the energy to be robbed while on the job, threatened and also had a co-worker beaten up by a young thug.. have had problems where I live with break ins and threats from a 12, 13 and 17 yr old brothers.. My son tries to copy this street attitude, but we wont have it, and have sat with him and set out the boundaries explaining why.. I have also taken my own son to the cop shop when he was border line for getting into trouble, sadly too many parents don't bother, and too many families seem to think their kids being "tough" and "street" is cool.. But in their defence, I think they have lost their role. Society is so throw away and moves so quickly, kids are Branded as immature too easily and not allowed to grow up and enjoy their child hood.. they aspire to being adults way before they can cope with life and everything feels a mess..

Answer 2

Where can I begin.. first we started by saying that we should take away the rights of parents to disipline the children.. then we started raising prices so that both parents have to work... So now we have children who do not have disipline and then on top of that they don't have a parent most of the day who can give them parental care.... love... and show them what they believe in.. ie... what is morally correct and what is not.. so now you have a uncaring low wage person who is over stressed because of their own lack of being able to be with their own child working to barely pay for the childcare of their own and then on top of that throw in a world of finacial stress, drugs, gangs (do to all the above) and then take away the only remaining thing that might make things better... (Religion) I am not saying any one religion.. but any religion... there is not one shred of tradition... love.... community... (except the gang community) or disipline.. oh did I say... there is now no help from the government who says.. a 13 year old can get an abortion without a parents knowledge.. so what else have we done?? We then shower the kids with money and things to replace us not being with them less then 2 hours per day... and top that with the ultimate.. now the child has one parent while the other one takes off to be with someone new.. or to "find themselves" ... Take away the fear of punishment within our judicial system.. ( We are supposed to understand them not punish them) and you have utter chaos... Oh did I mention that now we have the fear of Nuclear War and kids saying what's the difference.. we will all be blown away anyway?? and then top it off even further with.... Almost EVERY Politician and Well known movie star or musicain that is our roll models for the children are either politically corrupt.. (BOTH SIDES) and or morraly currupt.... Should I say more?????

Answer 3

How long have you got?????
Our society is too lax. We actually need to bring back something that embarrasses these hooligans. It is the only punishment that works. Bring back the stocks and let's all throw rotten tomatoes.
I think we're breeding a very serious problem in years to come with children who have no conscience, demand it all and will take it if it isn't given to them.
We need to make parents more responsible. We have two extremes, the pushy and the neglectful. My daughter plays tennis - some of the mothers are so determined their children will win that it's quite frightening. It doesn't matter who they walk over as long as they win.
Others don't know where their children are.
Both are unbalanced. Punishments should be more severe.

Answer 4

Question.....Why are more and more children turning into hooligans? What are we doing wrong?


Answer...
Not encouraging breast feeding.

No seriously, bear with me!


Breastfeeding ensures that children develop proper bonds between themselves and other humans. The reduced rate of breast feeding in most westernised countries ensures that our children grow up without ever experiencing 'the milk of human kindness'. The blooming rates of teenage thuggery is in direct correlation to the lessening prevalence of breastfeeding.

A small suckling child benefits in many ways...breastfeeding gives the child a hormone called oxytocin which makes them and the mother more prone to feelings of deep love and empathy for their fellow beings.

A child who suckles becomes aware of cause and effect, ie..if I gnaw on this woman's breast she feels pain. I should stop that or I don't get any milk.

If a mother and child do not share the bond of breastfeeding then discipline is more difficult to deal with later on. A child who was fed by rubber teat and bottle still loves their mum but doesn't have the same need of approval as the breast fed babe.

So we end up in a culture where the young have little empathy or need for approval from their elders. They don't care and show us just that in antisocial behaviour.

I am not saying that all bottle fed babies are thugs, however I am saying that you need a healthy balance of empathetic children to non empathetic children to maintain decent behaviour...children want to act like their friends and if they are all wee thugs then thats what you'll get. Children of the Corn, anyone?

This can all be scientifically proven if anyone would care to give it a shot. If I was a scientist I would do it myself.

Thank you.
Ochsterboxter.

Answer 5

Americans CAN raise children properly, they just won't. People are getting lazy all across the board and it's reflecting in the children of America that parents are starting to be too lazy to lift a finger and shake it at a child. Try lifting a hand and spanking some butt! Parents want to talk it out etc. Children understand right and wrong but their emotions and urges are too strong for them to control with mere moral understanding. Parents need to take the reigns but won't. Why? Because people like getting by with the minimum amount of action. That's why use cars instead of feet, televisions instead of books, the internet instead of our social skills. Some parents claim not to be able to 'bring themselves' to punish their children adequately. The fact of the matter is, you stand up to your child from the beginning, or you'll be standing before a judge in the end- or worse- a casket.

We have magazines and books and tv shows all devoted to improving people's ego's- their culture- their health. But only a small fraction of media attempts the daunting task of guiding parents in america. And the few that do are trying to hard to be politically correct that they really can't give much good advice.

All that I can say is this- when I was young I knew things like stealing and cursing and disobeying my parents were bad without anyone having to tell me- but the tempation was just too strong. Children want to try new things and they want to do what they want to do. But a paddle served as he ultimate post it note for my ego and when it was stuck to my rear i didn't forget again.

Answer 6

When I was teaching some very difficult kids in the 1970s, even then, they told me they understood and liked the discipline in the classroom. They said they needed to know where the boundaries were, (even if they tried to overstep them at times) and that more differentiation should be made between really serious wrongdoing and silly behaviour. I think today, it is the same, if we (as responsible(?) adults) made our expectations clear and possible for the youngsteres to attain, if we were consistent and up front and truthful with our children, if we led by example (you should hear some of the language in the playgrounds from the parents) things would be better.

Answer 7

Kids today are lazy, disrespectful, and they are not team players even in their own families. They are consumers. They feel as if parents are completely responsible for everything from food to their mental health. If they don't listen, they know they will get away with whatever it is because this wonderful nation of ours made it a crime to spank your spank kids. What's worse, they teach the kids in school now that "your parents can't hit you, if they do, we'll call the police for you!" So parents are the life support system for children who act more like ungrateful little spoiled brats, than any son or daughter I'd ever be proud of.

Answer 8

I'm 14 and the group im in are not "hooligans" but we're seen as them for some reason. All of me and my mates just have fun around the village and we're branded as some thugs or something, its all the chavs (if you know what one is). To be honest its stupid that they do stuff to people for no reason whatsoever. The other day i was threatened by a chav he said "I'll break ya legs mate" even though i had done nothing to him. I know how you feel and millions of other people do aswell. The police dont do much about it anymore either...

Answer 9

Unfortunately we have smothered (me including) our children in over indulgence. We give them everything, are there at their every need, solve their problems, fight for them, in other words they are SPOILT. They have nothing to do and try to find 'entertainment' in this way. We, as parent, and also schools should give them more responsibility, make them use their minds and energy in more enterprising ways. This should begin from a young age, by not buying them every toy available under the sun, but let them play by using their imagination and play make-up games with other children of their age. As they get older give them things to do and responsibility in the house showing respect to their and others belongings.

Yes, unfortunately, but I think capital punishment should be brought back. All this no smacking or telling off has led us to where we are today. I was never hurt by the odd slap on my legs, and neither were my children (now 27 and 22 and both decent hard working citizens).

Let's learn to be hard to be kind to our kids.

Answer 10

Kids these days are bored and have nothing to do.Provocing people and winding them up is the only thing to do for youngsters these days.I used to be a tearaway about 6 years ago and thought it was amusing to wind people up but it is only because they are bored.
If the goverment was to come up with ideas and prolects for youngsters there would be less problems for both kids and the general public.