has anyone else seen or heared the news report today about britian fearing it's teenagers.. do you agree?

Question

i know i do my daughter is 16 and hangs around with around 20 others between the ages of 16-19 i have to sit behind closed curtains 24-7 because i tried to get my daughter away from the influences of her peers.. i've been down every avenue to regain control of my daughter but the police wont back me up because she's 16 and the law says she's an adult who can think for herself.. does anyone else out there think there needs to be some changes in the law to help parents who have cared and continue caring for their children and there safety and well being.. do you think its time the age limit for been classed as an adult shoul be put up to 18+

Answer 1

I think the law should change due to the fact teenagers and younger know the law and uses it to there advantage!!! I mean before the law was introduced if a teenager gave you lip you would be able to give a back hand now you touch them and the police would be on your door taking you down the local nick. And with all this happy slapping etc. and the hanging out side shop fronts what hope do we all have. Life is so unfair. Under the age of 18 there should be a curfew

Answer 2

I did see the news report about this. I would have to agree with the speaker from one of the community groups working with young people. He pointed out that society is living with an avalanche of PC policies. He also pointed out that control is the parents responsibility.

Unfortunately the youth of today know that they can abuse people and their property because if you touch them that is considered assault - and I am not suggesting that you approach this in a physically violent way. The police are of very little help here, they do not attend when you call them and they warn you that you will be in trouble if you intervene too heavily.

In my youth, my brother was brought home a couple of times by the police - they gave him a 'clip round the ear' and brought him to my father. The shame of having a police car pulling up outside your home and a member of the family being frog-marched into the family home was enough to make sure that it did not happen very often, in fact the second time my father went completely ballistic - it never happened again.

There are some anaomalies about the age between 16 and 18. Yes it should be raised. Teenagers always think that their parents know nothing and that they are invincable. Growing older makes you realise that you were wrong.

Answer 3

Unfortunately it must be due to a complete lack of discipline when the children were younger. Are they taught to respect their elders, give up their seat on public transport etc, not to shout and push about in public in public ? They should learn to show respect for others because one day when they become parents themselves, - as the majority will, they may have an even worse problem that exists today. The groups of youths hanging around at present usually led by a bullying lead figure, hide and move on whenever there are police in the area! Surely it is about time the Police Force went back to 'walking' the beat and getting to know their area - the good and bad guys. I am sure the Youths in time would respond favourably,- because it is at present a matter of whoever can show off the most, thinks he/she is the greatest., with the others then joining in. Cowardly action when you think about it! I suspect most of the gang youths are bored. and have not the sense to get themselves a decent hobby or sporting interest.. Could go on but just :
SHOW RESPECT FOR ALL OTHERS WHATEVER THEIR COLOUR, CREED OR RELIGION, AND THE WORLD WILL BE A BETTER PLACE.

Answer 4

Sounds like its more common and widespread that I imagined. Where I live there are so many of these gangs hanging round - mainly around the parades of shops - I dont go out on my own after dark anymore. Alot of them are drinking but I'd say more are smoking skunk & stuff - the smell is so strong around them. The past few nights they've been letting fireworks off - firing them across the road into cars but if anyone says anything they are abusive. Our local police have invested in a few of the big mosquito killer things - apparently they give a loud humming noise that only young people hear) I dont know if they work or what they expect them to do - surely just push the problem elsewhere. I think the law should be changed - raise the age of consent for everything to 18 and give tougher sentencing to those who offend. xx

Answer 5

This has annoyed me for quite a while now and as far as I am concerned its all down to our government and its changes from children in schools to care of children at home. Children know they can get away with just about anything now cos 'They have rights!' Too many rights if you ask me, no one will punish them for fear of being persecuted for it, the police wont do anything much to help if a child is 16+ although they are not adults till they are 18 yet if they do wrong between these ages it is all down to the parents yet again!

Answer 6

Well, I'd love to see some proper consequences. Like if you disrupt a class, you have to be in detention for a week! And if you cheek a teacher, you're removed from the school. Straight away. Until you're prepared to make a public apology - at assembly, in front of the whole school. With your parents in the audience, too.
And if you play truant, then you spend a day in the cells - on the weekend.
I think this is the real problem - kids aren't aware of the consequences of their actions. They bow too easily to peer pressure and they show off. And it's the showing off that is the major problem, together with the increased use of drugs.

Answer 7

I asked a similar question some time ago. In my question, I mentioned the possible use of corporal punnishment as a deterent and the effects of not using it has had on our Dust-bin Lids". My question was removed and with no real explanation. So, I ask you to contemplate this, do you think that if your child was more forcibly told to change her ways, how would she respond? Would it work and if the majority of parents reverted back to these heavier handed methods, would you have posted this question in the first place?

Whatever your answer, I do see the problem escallating and sooner or later someone will go completely off the rails with a weapon and try to wipe out an entire gang!

Answer 8

We live in a society where, increasingly, teenagers have little or no ambition in life, where police turn a blind eye to vandalism because they are bound over by red tape and bureaucracy, and where parents (especially those who had children when they were still in their teens) cannot be bothered to raise their kids properly. Not all teenagers are bad, certainly the ones who hang around outside the shop where i work are a bit loud, but they normally leave after 10 - 15 minutes. Teenagers know their rights more than ever, and those that are up to no good will use them.

Answer 9

Im still a teenager myself but the growing gangs of teenagers terrify me. It is very intimidating seeing lots of youths in a big crowd and especially when they are loud and agressive. I think a main problem is the rise in drinking most teenagers that hang around have been drinking or are drinking if there is an 18 year old in the group they legally can buy it but its being given to others. I dont blame parents whatsoever because i know most parents try so hard to remove these influences from their children, Unforuntaly the rise of these people in schools means if your not with them you get abuse, speaking from experience i know how hard it is not to be in THAT gang . I wasnt and received years of abuse and its hard especially at that age in life when you want to fit in you want to experiment with new things and the influence is their infront of you

Answer 10

My third child has just turned 16, we had trouble with the first in the same way that you are, all we did was wait until she fell out with someone within the group (it was over something stupid and small) then when daughter was getting really agitated and angry over this little thing we agreed with everything she said.
We did that 3 or 4 times until eventually we managed to point out how much that group obviously hated her while backing up the others that she hated. We encouraged other friends and over time managed to get her to spend more time in better company.
Mind, it was hard work, and we spent 6 times as long having to get ourselves out of the habit of agreeing with her stupid teenage opinions of people.
Hey, its not easy parenting is it.
Good luck, and remember if anyone ever asked you the question
"at which point are you going to give up on your child"?
we know the answer.