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Halloween idiots still a problem
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<blockquote data-quote="tiredmommy" data-source="post: 475840" data-attributes="member: 1722"><p>Marg~ I know this just isn't happening on Halloween, but the potential for behavior like this is why most parents go out with their kids to trick or treat here. Here's how we do it since Duckie's friends are 10 and don't "need" a mom or dad right on top of them: we get a group together. It's been as small as 4 kids and as many as 12. At least two parents trail the kids: the adults need to see all the kids in the group at all times for safety reasons. We usually stay on the sidewalk as the kids run door-to-door. This also allows the kids privacy to chitchat without being overheard but with the safety of a trusted adult nearby. An example: most of the girls love to do spooky stuff like go through people's homemade haunted houses but are (rightly) uncomfortable to go into an enclosed area with people they don't know so one of the adults goes through with them and then the adult pulls back and lets the kids do their thing again. Another example: this year, one of our kids brought her family's adorable little dog out with us; she took turns with her parents walking the dog. Well. at one point, a teenager was walking her dog and taunted the little girl with something like "you better keep your dog away from my dog or my dog will eat your dog!", said in a very mean tone. The teen was a little shocked when one of our adults walked up to her and told her to take her dog home if it might attack and stop being mean to little kids, and next time pick on someone her own size. It was great to watch the teen's over-inflated ego quickly deflated. ;-)</p><p></p><p>I think, though, the key is that parents must be compelled to stay involved and not allow their children (teens or otherwise) run in a pack abusing the neighborhoods. These kids seriously sound like they are on the path to becoming punks! Perhaps a neighborhood watch committee could help, or increased structured activities at a community center (basketball, homework help, dance classes, etc) or even the local police increasing patrols (preferably on foot or bike). It sounds to me like your neighborhood is probably a decent neighborhood but the teens are bored and unengaged... that leads to trouble. The key, really, is to sway the ones that are still on the fence back to being decent and law-abiding citizens. Then the "others" lose their power.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="tiredmommy, post: 475840, member: 1722"] Marg~ I know this just isn't happening on Halloween, but the potential for behavior like this is why most parents go out with their kids to trick or treat here. Here's how we do it since Duckie's friends are 10 and don't "need" a mom or dad right on top of them: we get a group together. It's been as small as 4 kids and as many as 12. At least two parents trail the kids: the adults need to see all the kids in the group at all times for safety reasons. We usually stay on the sidewalk as the kids run door-to-door. This also allows the kids privacy to chitchat without being overheard but with the safety of a trusted adult nearby. An example: most of the girls love to do spooky stuff like go through people's homemade haunted houses but are (rightly) uncomfortable to go into an enclosed area with people they don't know so one of the adults goes through with them and then the adult pulls back and lets the kids do their thing again. Another example: this year, one of our kids brought her family's adorable little dog out with us; she took turns with her parents walking the dog. Well. at one point, a teenager was walking her dog and taunted the little girl with something like "you better keep your dog away from my dog or my dog will eat your dog!", said in a very mean tone. The teen was a little shocked when one of our adults walked up to her and told her to take her dog home if it might attack and stop being mean to little kids, and next time pick on someone her own size. It was great to watch the teen's over-inflated ego quickly deflated. ;-) I think, though, the key is that parents must be compelled to stay involved and not allow their children (teens or otherwise) run in a pack abusing the neighborhoods. These kids seriously sound like they are on the path to becoming punks! Perhaps a neighborhood watch committee could help, or increased structured activities at a community center (basketball, homework help, dance classes, etc) or even the local police increasing patrols (preferably on foot or bike). It sounds to me like your neighborhood is probably a decent neighborhood but the teens are bored and unengaged... that leads to trouble. The key, really, is to sway the ones that are still on the fence back to being decent and law-abiding citizens. Then the "others" lose their power. [/QUOTE]
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