The writer

of an editorial in one of the local papers a few months ago complained

that young people in Peachtree City do not have enough to do. The writer

argued that one reason for the increase in arrests of young people is

because they have no youth center or place for them to congregate.

Statistics

back up this person's argument. Communities that have youth centers and

places for children to congregate see a decrease in some kinds of juvenile

crime. However, there are at least three problems with this gentleman's

argument.

First of all,

I do not agree with the premise that there is nothing for children to

do in Peachtree City or our county. On the contrary, there are many things

for children to do in Peachtree City and Fayetteville.

There are places

for shopping, outdoor athletic fields, bookstores, and public libraries

in both cities. There are parks, an indoor soccer center, movie theaters,

batting cages, running tracks, biking and walking paths, lakes, swimming

pools, a dive center, and restaurants.

What the writer

of this editorial really means is that there is nothing for children to

do of a specific type. Specifically, there is no youth center. Even though

I agreed with some of what the writer said, the editorial sounded somewhat

like my children when they look past mounds of toys, books, video tapes,

computer games, the swimming pool, bicycles, pets, and so forth and tell

me that there is "nothing to do."

A second issue

is perhaps even more important. For some reason the writer supposes that

it is the city's responsibility to entertain the city's youth in order

that youth arrests might be reduced. I do not believe that it is the city's

responsibility; rather I believe that the responsibility to monitor a

child's behavior lies with parents.

While it is

certainly an advantage to have a recreation facility, there is no obligation

or promise made by Peachtree City, Fayetteville, or any other community

to provide specific forms of entertainment for anyone - youth or otherwise.

The crime rate is the city's problem, but the solution begins at home,

not at City Hall.

Finally, there

are factors that contribute to lowered juvenile crime rates other than

the presence or absence of youth centers. Children who are supervised

petty crime, stealing, and the use of drugs and alcohol.

Teenagers should

not need 24-hour a day supervision, but I'm talking about parents who

are actively involved in their children's lives. It is an unfortunate

truth that many parents are uninterested in supervision of their own children

and look to others who will take on that obligation.

Other parents

are interested in their children, but they are too busy with their own

interests, jobs, and hobbies to take an active role in their children's

lives. In either case, these parents just want their children out of the

house and out of their hair.

My friend and

I had a business meeting at a Fayetteville restaurant one afternoon last

fall. Our meeting started in the early afternoon and continued after the

high school dismissed for the day.

Between 10

and 15 young people congregated at the booth next to ours. They smoked

cigarettes and engaged in loud and vile conversation for an hour. I eventually

left and the group was still there more kids drifting in as time passed.

I thought it

was interesting that these kids could hang out for an hour or more after

school, engage in unhealthy behaviors, and apparently raise no suspicions

or concerns at home. I am guessing that most of them did not have a parent

at home.

It is unrealistic

to expect children with no accountability and no supervision to make responsible

choices. This mentality doesn't take place overnight. It comes from a

history in a home where parents communicate that anything goes as long

as the child doesn't cause any trouble for the parent.

A youth center

in such cases will only give these kids a place to congregate and engage

in the same behaviors they would have anywhere else. Buildings where kids

can hang out do not promote a healthy community; rather it is involved

and active parents that can make a difference.

Back

to Healthwise Home Page |