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3:30 AM Prank

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by tyger31, Aug 25, 2010.

  1. Villager

    Villager Ashburn Village Resident

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    Well, the family DOES live in Manhattan and probably travels via subway and bus all the time, so it isn't like one of us suburbanites is sending our kid into DC alone - it's a little different. Would you let your 9 year old walk home from, say, the McDonalds in Southern Walk? I don't know if that's a good comparison or not but I think because the woman's story is set in NYC it sounds scarier to those who don't live there.

    Still, we're talking about a 3rd/4th grader, right? I walked back and forth to school at that point but didn't go to random places by myself so I don't know if I would let my child do that.
     
  2. luftinarr

    luftinarr Member

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    I remember that story and I definitely applaud her. There is way too much helicopter parenting going on now. I want my children to grow up not being afraid of things. I grew up in Sterling and my friend and I would routinely ride our bikes on the bike path (gasp!) to Reston Town Center when it first opened (1990) to go see movies. Oh, the horror that our parents allowed us to do that....
     
  3. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Speaking of helicopters, won't the police variety visit your court soon? ;)
     
  4. luftinarr

    luftinarr Member

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    damn skippy!
     
  5. mjbenteler

    mjbenteler mom2three

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    first - I am not ok with the kids doing damage to people's houses.

    After reading most of this thread, I have to say that anyone who thinks a parent LETS their kid out in the middle of the night is nuts! The pranks that are happening late at night are from kids who are SNEAKING out. I know, I will hear how if we were responsible parents our kids couldn't possibly sneak out. BUT, if we weren't responsible, the kids wouldn't be sneaking. It's not just the "bad" kids that sneak out. Kids in honor classes sneak out too! I have caught my kids and their friends going to TP a house after midnight. I am sure there have been times when i didn't catch them. Am I a bad parent? I don't think so. I was just a tired parent that fell asleep before they did. I guess working from 10 til 2 (while they are in school), washing clothes, making dinner, cleaning the house and taking them to sports practices, etc... wore me out that day.
    If you don't have a preteen or teen, please wait until you do before you pass judgement.
    If you do have a preteen or teen, they aren't perfect. If they were, they wouldn't need us to guide them, and help them grow up to be responsible adults. We all learn from mistakes.
     
  6. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    Understood, however, responsible parent or not, the parents are still liable for their kid's actions. We've already had one resident post on the forum that one kid went nuts and caused $6,900 worth of damage to cars/houses, and whatnot. Guess who had to pay? Not the kid...but the parent since courts hold the parents responsible since the kid is a minor and UNDER the parents' control/supervision.

    I recently read in the news that parents of two kids were arrested and charged with neglect because the parents were sleeping as they were very exhausted and too tired to supervise the kids. Parents were ordered to go to court to explain to the Judge why they were not able to be supervising the kids at that time since the kids called 911 because they weren't getting any attention from their parents. It took the cops to both wake up the parents and drag them down to the precint to be charged with neglect. That was an EYEOPENER to me since parents are ultimately responsible for their kids 24/7.

    I have friends who are cops and they say they QUESTION the parents' motives for allowing their preteen/teen kids to be out that late at night due to safety concerns and vandalism. Ive been told that sometimes they charge the parents if there is NO real valid reason for the kids being out that late at night.

    Its not a matter of good or bad parenting...its about being accountable for the kids 24/7. If a parent has no idea where their kids are if the cops ask them where they are, then that is a problem the parents are gonna have to face with the cops. Kids should be home before dark and parents should be legally responsible for the damages that their kids cause no matter if the parents knew the kids were out of the house or not.

    Im sure there are some parents out there that always will say "Oh my Johnny would NEVER do such a thing like that." If they think that way, they've got their heads up their own butts because even the GOOD kids sometimes do go overboard and do something stupid that gets them in legal and financial trouble. Think peer pressure!
     
  7. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Capricorn, do you currently, or have ever had teenage kids?
     
  8. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    I am not even comfortable enough to let a kid who is a preteen alone in NYC to find their way home. To me, that's insane as well...I side with you jwf. Just my thoughts....I respect other people's thoughts...but will they respect mine? We'll see.
     
  9. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    They will, as long as you don't try to jam it down their throats or make it come across as if you were lecturing them. That's MY thought.
     
  10. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    My god...you THINK Im cramming it down people's throats? :signsnono: Far from it...I am only just stating what's on my mind and THAT'S it. People can make up their own decisions what's wrong or right for themselves. I am not about to walk around with a baseball bat forcing people to accept my opinions or to do what I want them to do...

    Im just excercising my freedom of speech by voicing on the forums what is ON my mind...just like jwf did!
     
  11. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Charge them with what?

    They can only be charged if a LAW IS BROKEN (e.g. a curfew)
     
  12. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    I'm just stating what I've been told by a friend of mine who is a COP himself. I don't make/enforce/interpret the laws. All Im stating is what I've been told...that's all.

    Remember, police officers can charge folks whatever they can find on the books...even with antiquated laws. :scaredeyes: Its up to the PROSECUTOR to decide whether to try it in court or decline to prosecute. (I've read in the news of some cops charging folks with some antiquated laws on the books in other states so anything can happen).
     
  13. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Well, a good friend of mine is a cop too and I think I also read it in a newspaper or heard it from a friend of a friend or maybe it was a neighbor... ;)

    But the police do not go around arresting people (generally speaking of course), especially MINORS for "whatever they can find on the books". Maybe they do it for someone who they really feel needs to be off the streets. Treating arrests callously causes more headaches than it is worth, ESPECIALLY for the DAs office. DA's want cases that can be tried and WON, not arrests that simply generate them extraneous paperwork.

    See how much negative press a Sheriff's office gets for arresting a teen for farting in a church on Sunday during a sermon, just because they can.
     
  14. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    OF course, they can't just go around arresting them but officers have a wide latitude on what they think in their judgement can be and should be taken off the streets. IF they feel that the minors shouldn't be there, they can do what they feel is best considering the situation, believe me.

    Now, that church comment had me laughing. That'll be the day when that happens!!! :huh:
     
  15. PowerPlay

    PowerPlay Member

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    Sure they can, but that doesn't mean it's legal. Case in point:

    http://www.wtop.com/?nid=598&sid=2007464
     
  16. Capricorn1964

    Capricorn1964 Well-Known Member

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    Now, now, now.....that Baltimore Cop was a renegrade cop right there. What he did was STEP over the line of decency and was abusive. IF there were signs that stated no skateboarding was allowed, he could have just simply cited them and be on his way...but NOOOOO, he went farther than that...He went ballistic and became abusive...as a result, he got fired. Termed. Thrown out...
     
  17. jwf

    jwf Well-Known Member

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    I remember that incident as well. I actually felt bad for the cop. Here he is trying to enforce the law as a police officer but look at his uniform and the "police car" the city gave him to use. I think he was tired of just not being taken seriously because of wearing such a ridiculous uniform and driving a go cart. No wonder the kid didn't take him seriously. The kid didn't respect the uniform and I don't blame him and the cop was mad because the kid made him feel like a "dude" and not a police officer.

    I think the city, the cop and the kid are all at fault here. But I am just saying. Not trying to lecture anyone either. Thanks Capricorn for your sentiments. You get it. It is just a public forum for us all to speak our minds on.
     

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