In response to “Why can't parents just leave teen club alone?” by Derek Rader in The Citizen July 26:

While your article had a lot of validity to it, there were a few comments that would disturb any parent, such as myself. I'm a 35-year-old mother of two boys, yet neither are your age. You could, however, put me in the category of parents with low tolerance of most teenager's in this day and age. I'm definitely guilty of stereotyping kids like you and your peers! Why? Lack of respect!

First of all, I didn't even grow up when they danced like “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease.” So, you're basically “stereotyping” adults. Which, if you don't want us to do that, then you shouldn't do it either.

When I was growing up, we didn't have a place to “hang out.” I'm positive we didn't make all of the right decisions, as I'm sure my parents didn't when they were growing up, which is back when they really were dancing like “Grease.”

The reason you have adults getting involved in your social life is because we know what we did when we were growing up. Another reason, you are still minors. What would your life be like if you didn't have any guidance? Where do you think you would be? What would our city be like if we didn't have people who cared, voiced their opinions, or took action when things were on the slide?

Fayetteville may be “boring” but, rest assured, Buckhead would be just as “boring” for you if you have parent's who care, which I'm sure you do!

You guys want all of this freedom and you don't know what to do with it when you get it. You've got this great place to go and “hang out,” yet, you don't even know how to act.

I assure you when I was growing up, which wasn't that long ago, we weren't lying on the ground on top of each other and calling that a form of “dance.” You've got to be kidding me or really think we're stupid if you think we think that is the style of “dancing” these days. Call me a nerd....

Parents will always be interfering in your life until you're grown, married and have your own kids... and that doesn't even qualify a parent to “shut up” or to stop interfering.

There are always going to be people older and wiser than you. If you don't learn something everyday, then you're not paying attention. Everything that you're dealing with now, you'll be dealing with later in your life, only on a broader scale. It's called “growing up.” You have to go through the “now” to get to the “then.”

Try to enjoy it, Derek, go with the flow. Don't knock us adults; we're not all that bad. I've been a supporter of The Market and only wish that the kids that use it would practice responsibility so that it would be successful. That doesn't sound like the case, now does it?

Oh, and, Derek... parents can change the way teenagers behave. Just wait!

Ellen M. Schmieder
Fayetteville

Back to Opinion Home Page | Back to the top of the page