Behaviour of youths in our town
The editor,
What is happening to our kids?
I have been a regular corresponder for a while now, and I am just about knocked over, at what is happening with the youth in our town or elsewhere for that matter.
What can we do?
Parents who have spent a large amount of their lives dedicated to providing the best that they can, only to be confronted by the Alien Years somewhere between the ages of 13 and 21 give or take a couple of years.
I have always believed that not all kids are bad, but that view is changing and I don't like feeling as negative towards our youth as I have been in the last few years.
I am putting a call out to all parents, it is time we reclaimed our family values.
Do you have any idea what your teenagers are getting up to, who they are hanging around with, what they are drinking or injesting; or are you one of the many who continue to bury your heads in the sand, who think their child is sensible and can do no wrong?
Or are you one of those parents who say, I give up, it is their life, and they are doing no different to any other teenager?
I believe it is time we took stock and question our teenagers, their friends, and be prepared that they too may be filling your head with what they think they want you to know.
I was impressed at the two page spread, showing all the wonderful community groups and sporting associations who cater to the needs of our youth, in the hope of preventing boredom, and depression.
Our youth have so much more at their fingertips than anyone over the age of 30 had while growing up, yet still the problems continue to exist.
When as a parent I suggest my kids gets involved, I am met with opposition, they would prefer to either watch distasteful programs on TV and DVD, or sit on the computer, and have a look around at some of the social networking websites, the bulletins that get posted about how bored they are, and they want someone to go out and "party" with, further adding to the problems of teenage years.
Then they become old enough to drive, what a can of worms that is, coupled with other risk taking activities.
Leading to a current group of teens hooning around town, unlicensed, driving unregistered and uninsured and in some cases highly defectable cars.
How many parents know that their teenagers are out driving around in these cars?
How long will it be before you are woken up in the middle of the night by police informing you that your teen is dead or severely injured, or will you continue to bury your head in the sand,do nothing, thinking your child is ok, just doing what teens do.
Believe me when I tell you, that a visit from the police is something your family does not need.
Same can be said when they reach the magic age of 18 or 21 years, how many private function and birthday parties have had to be closed down by police recently as a result of gatecrashers, and misbehaviour?
Our youth don't like it when we question what they have been doing, they will accuse us of being controlling, interfering, invading their privacy, or just plain nagging, or simply the youth will just turn off.
It is about time some of our laws reflect those changes, and parents given full support when confronted with their teens alien behaviour.
Geniene Gordon
Whyalla Norrie
Calculate
water loss
The editor,
The Adelaide Advertiser 2/9/08 published an article “192 days of water washed into the sea” which quotes CSIRO calculations of storm water run-off from Adelaide this
winter, as 60 gigalitres, which could have supplied metropolitan Adelaide for six months.
Assuming a similar population density at Whyalla but a rainfall of about half and a higher evaporation rate for Whyalla maybe our run-off could have supplied Whyalla for a couple of months, not an inconsiderable water saving.
The calculation should be done.
How strange is it that a few months ago we were told that the two tanks that have been part of Whyalla for half a century, were to be demolished by SAW as “surplus to requirements”.
Why spend money to destroy the option for no real gain?
G.K. Butt
Whyalla
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