Are Kids Allowed any Mistakes These Days?
by Our children today are expected to be perfect. A mistake made today that would have been expected in my generation is treated so severely that it can affect our children’s futures, mental health and respect for authority figures.
Boys can not just be boys any longer. If you’ve ever had a teenager in any sort of trouble, you know this. Did you know that today, if a teenager is caught smoking, he is given a written citation and must appear in court, pay fines and court costs and must attend an Alcohol and Tobacco Awareness Class. Even worse than that, in the eyes of the law, tobacco is an illegal substance when used by a minor and therefore, is no different than a drug charge. Not to say that I agree with smoking or that I don’t understand the health risks, but come on! What teen-aged boy in our day and age didn’t try smoking? Many punishments worked then that would surely work now as well. While I agree with any class that will provide information and examples of real life results, should the parents really be forced to pay fines? And a drug charge is absolutely ridiculous! Even more infuriating is how you and your child are treated when you show up at court. It’s as if you’ve committed the greatest offense they’ve seen in a while and you are dirt, less than dirt, not worth the ground they walk on.
In some instances, I suppose it could be humorous to watch an adult get so angry and actually tell a child that “smoking is the first step to prison, which is where you are headed”. This is a person who doesn’t live in the real world and evidently has experienced no real hardships. Get a life and leave our kids alone!! But when your child is treated so badly, being embarrassed and humiliated, and told he will end up in prison, our own anger at our child turns to sympathy..and empathy…and our hands are tied at home. And God forbid they get caught again! Maybe this boy has chosen to continue smoking but he’s a nice, clean-cut kid, good grades, never in trouble, etc. He may end up health issues……..but he won’t end up in prison. We don’t give these kids enough credit; they are smart enough to know how ignorant that sounds. Let him get caught the third time and he’ll end up in juvenile detention, alongside the other “known criminals”.
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Post Commentladybaby
On May 17, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I am so glad I came across your articles, because I have experienced the exact same things you have, and I am JUST AS ANGRY at our evil and cruel injustice system as you are. I tend to think that all our judicial officials are psychopaths who get their trills with their total freedom of power and control over others. Most of them deserve to be behind bars, more than the ones THEY put there.
Manimal
On August 28, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Now that housing prisoners has become a cash cow for certain corporations, their lobbyists are pushing for harsher laws so that more people can get locked up, thereby increasing their profit margin. Also, the state makes more money by criminalizing activities that aren’t really criminal so as to be able to fine and jail people who aren’t really dangerous. It’s all about money. What other reason could there be for making truancy and smoking criminal offenses? What possible justification could there be for fining a teenager $500.00 for missing class? It’s just one big shakedown.