About a month ago, I found out that there has been a lot of vandalism, burglaries and bullying going on in neighborhood. Shocked the crap out of me. Supposedly its gotten out of hand in the past six months…out of hand enough to start up a Neighborhood Watch program and therefore, my neighborhood had a kick-off meeting last night.
My eyes were opened to a lot last night. As I stated, I am not trying to be naïve but I find it so hard to believe that we, in my small little cloistered town trying hard to be a city, has ‘gangs’ or kids as young as 10, breaking into houses, cussing out parents/adults, and even going as far as cussing out the sheriff’s. My town is, what I think, the perfect place to start and raise a family. For single people with no kids, ummmm it could be a nightmare.
Person after person stood up with horrifying story one after another. I found myself wondering where the hell are the parents of this kids??? And then I got my answer…
Some of the people that were at the meeting were the parents of the truants. They know their kids are doing wrong, they’ve called juvenile officers, police and sheriff personel and still…nothing is done. What can they do because they can’t control their kid. I am slack jawed open mouth amazed….
WHO CANT CONTROL THEIR KID??? And I preceded to voice that statement out loud.
I have a pretty close relationship with my kids AND their friends. I have no problem snatching my child and ‘your’ child if they are doing something wrong or out of line. And if you see my child acting up, you have that right too. I am of that mindset of it DOES take a village to raise a child.
In any case, parts of the meeting were aired on TV and several people said they seen me on the news and one lady asked what I was so animated about and I explained the whole ‘not being able to control my kid’ phenomenon and I didn’t get it when I noticed she had tears in her eyes. I suddenly remembered tidbits about her having trouble with her son but I didn’t know all the details but I knew I had hit a very tender spot. But could I stop??? Nooooo. I can be abrasive but I am also a softy and I do not know how to handle this side of my personality so my mouth had a mind of its own and before I knew it she was compelled to tell me how she couldnt control her son, and the hard years they had had. She did this with her voice cracking and tears in her eyes. I ended up apoloziing and feeling like a complete jerk. Next time I will keep my mouth shut. I digress…
Back to the Watch meeting. They are asking for us to be more viligant in our neighborhood in being aware of what is happening in our neighborhood. Writing down license plates, taking pictures, videos, camera phones, etc. These were examples but I’m afraid, my neighbors might become viligant in a bad way…like with guns, cross bows, and fist. I believe you have a right to protect you and yours but people who have gotten sued in their efforts to protect themselves. So…it’s a damned if you do or don’t kind of consequence. PLEASE DONT THINK I'M SAYING THAT MY NEIGHBORS ARE GOING OUT HUNTING JUVENILES!!!!
My other problem is that my kids walk a lot in our neighborhood. We live outside city limits so there isn’t a lot for them to do except go to each others houses. Usually there is at least 3 of them at a time walking and just because they are walking, I worry that they will be stopped or questioned simply because they are junior high boys in a group. And I aint having too much of that. if you knew my kids and their closest friends, you are talking about, cute, A & B students, and jocks. Not saying they cant get into trouble but THIS kind of trouble…ummm, no.
In any case, the mediator of the meeting said that she was looking for people to hold positions in the program and right now, I cant see doing that. I don’t mind being in the neighborhood, talking to people and snatching a few kids if I have to but holding a position, I just don’t have the time ( I cringe at how that sounds). Its one of those ‘dont bitch about the President if you don’t vote’ moments.
My eyes were opened to a lot last night. As I stated, I am not trying to be naïve but I find it so hard to believe that we, in my small little cloistered town trying hard to be a city, has ‘gangs’ or kids as young as 10, breaking into houses, cussing out parents/adults, and even going as far as cussing out the sheriff’s. My town is, what I think, the perfect place to start and raise a family. For single people with no kids, ummmm it could be a nightmare.
Person after person stood up with horrifying story one after another. I found myself wondering where the hell are the parents of this kids??? And then I got my answer…
Some of the people that were at the meeting were the parents of the truants. They know their kids are doing wrong, they’ve called juvenile officers, police and sheriff personel and still…nothing is done. What can they do because they can’t control their kid. I am slack jawed open mouth amazed….
WHO CANT CONTROL THEIR KID??? And I preceded to voice that statement out loud.
I have a pretty close relationship with my kids AND their friends. I have no problem snatching my child and ‘your’ child if they are doing something wrong or out of line. And if you see my child acting up, you have that right too. I am of that mindset of it DOES take a village to raise a child.
In any case, parts of the meeting were aired on TV and several people said they seen me on the news and one lady asked what I was so animated about and I explained the whole ‘not being able to control my kid’ phenomenon and I didn’t get it when I noticed she had tears in her eyes. I suddenly remembered tidbits about her having trouble with her son but I didn’t know all the details but I knew I had hit a very tender spot. But could I stop??? Nooooo. I can be abrasive but I am also a softy and I do not know how to handle this side of my personality so my mouth had a mind of its own and before I knew it she was compelled to tell me how she couldnt control her son, and the hard years they had had. She did this with her voice cracking and tears in her eyes. I ended up apoloziing and feeling like a complete jerk. Next time I will keep my mouth shut. I digress…
Back to the Watch meeting. They are asking for us to be more viligant in our neighborhood in being aware of what is happening in our neighborhood. Writing down license plates, taking pictures, videos, camera phones, etc. These were examples but I’m afraid, my neighbors might become viligant in a bad way…like with guns, cross bows, and fist. I believe you have a right to protect you and yours but people who have gotten sued in their efforts to protect themselves. So…it’s a damned if you do or don’t kind of consequence. PLEASE DONT THINK I'M SAYING THAT MY NEIGHBORS ARE GOING OUT HUNTING JUVENILES!!!!
My other problem is that my kids walk a lot in our neighborhood. We live outside city limits so there isn’t a lot for them to do except go to each others houses. Usually there is at least 3 of them at a time walking and just because they are walking, I worry that they will be stopped or questioned simply because they are junior high boys in a group. And I aint having too much of that. if you knew my kids and their closest friends, you are talking about, cute, A & B students, and jocks. Not saying they cant get into trouble but THIS kind of trouble…ummm, no.
In any case, the mediator of the meeting said that she was looking for people to hold positions in the program and right now, I cant see doing that. I don’t mind being in the neighborhood, talking to people and snatching a few kids if I have to but holding a position, I just don’t have the time ( I cringe at how that sounds). Its one of those ‘dont bitch about the President if you don’t vote’ moments.
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