Friday, January 16, 2009

Being A Teen Today


Is there a place in this world where a teenager can be just that a teenager? I sit back and watch all that is going on with the young people today and wonder if I could have survived in today’s life as a teen.

With so many pressures and responsibility, how can they cope? We want them to act like grown up’s, but they are not grown up. This is a transitional time for them, they are not kids anymore but they are not adults. We need to help them I think, but how? Parents are working so much to keep up with payments, so they cannot be there all the time. School programs are closing left and right because of lack of funding. Where are they to turn? Gangs, drugs and what have you are always there waiting in the shadows for the right time.

There was a time when a child was a child and could turn to an adult and say, “I need help!” What happened? Now they are left to fend for themselves. We need to seriously reevaluate our priorities.

What ever happened to the old saying “it takes a village to raise a child”? In this day in age, we just do not want to get involved, but when something happens, we all get on the news and say, “I knew something like this would happen someday”. We cannot wait for that anymore, we need to stand up, use our voice, and say enough is enough! Parents we need to listen to those telling us what our kids are up to and confront them right away. Stop saying my child would never do that, because like it or not they will. We need to let them know we have eyes and ears everywhere.
I know it is hard, we feel guilty for not being around more, but guilt will not help them if they are in prison because they turned to the wrong group. We need to take a stand with our elected officials, we need funding for more after school projects, things that will empower our youth. We need help and sometimes it easy just to sit back and hope for the best. Buy guess what hope is not going to keep them out of the hands of drug dealers and gangs, action will.

So look back on your life as a teen. Ask yourself what would have happened to me if I joined a gang? Where would I be right now if I were a teen in today world? Would my mom and dad put up with the things teens are doing now? When you answer these questions, stand up and yell, “I will not lose my child to the streets!” If we all pitch in, we can help these young people become happy and successful adults.

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