Parenting
We are often told that we are too protective of our children. We walk them to and from school, do not let them roam the streets, worry if they go to the local shop alone. Sometimes we start to feel this may be true. However, the last 2 times one of our kids was out on the streets alone he was attacked, once by 4 complete strangers, once by 2 kids he vaguely recognised from school. The Police and authorities eventually dealt with those responsible, but that does not alter the fact that it happened!
So what can you do? Let them go out and then follow along behind to keep watch? Some say that they need to go out as part of a group of friends, so they can become 'street-wise', but when does a group of friends become a gang?
We heard on the news this morning that someone that my eldest daughter went to school with has been arrested for being in a gang of teenagers who murdered a man. Had things been different for us, had our attitudes perhaps been less paranoid, could our daughter have been part of this gang? Is this what being 'street-wise' leads to?
About Me
- Rock Chef
- Hi I am married and have 4 kids - 2 boys(16 and 21), a girl (18) and another daughter who died in 2005 at the age of 17. My hobbies are wargaming and playing guitar (6 string electric and 4, 5, 8 string and fretless bass). I love spoof movies, which the kids call "Dad's stupid films" (but that doesn't stop they buying me new ones!).
4 comments:
WOW! That is crazy! I can't believe you even have to think about things like that. We generally don't have those problems here unless you live right in the middle of the city, otherwise except for those random instances. Don't get me wrong, I still don't let my children be alone in the backyard etc. But them being attacked is not a fear that I have to deal with. Can you move? Were your children hurt in these attacks?
The first time there were bruises to the head (being punched by 4 bigger teenagers, thank God he did not fall down...), the second time they almost strangled him with his tie.
Moving is very tempting but that would mean moving away from relatives that we wanted to me nice and close to. We are hoping that getting the authorities involved will help to control the situation where we now live (a lot of people would rather keep quiet and hope it goes away). If not, we have all seen those old Charles Bronson movies... :-)
I can't imagine the fear and anger you must have felt knowing your child had been attacked. I don't think being street-wise leads to that type of behavior. It's more likely a result of poor parenting, lack of morals and a lack of anything productive for those kids to do.
Fear and anger - there has been a lot of that. I guess this has come out in a couple of earlier blogs about our justice system.
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