Bored = Trouble

[Pipsqueak]

Ok, what do we think?

Kids who are 'bored' and have nuffink to do (no where to go/entertainment etc) go out and cause bovver, vandalism, terrorise neighbours etc.

Now when I was younger this is what we had to do:
a really naff youth club (open twice a week) and it was about 1.5 miles away from where I lived
several large parks or open spaces with a couple of swings and a rickey old roundabout (not even these exciting adventure type parks kids have now)
large woodland area
oh and not forgetting behind the old brownie hut - it had an overhanging roof that was good for shelter when it was raining
and the main car park (as we got older and started flirting with the 'cool' lads who had cars:D )

thats it - that was our 'nuffink' to do. We didn't have multiple tv channels, definately no internet or mobiles, no games consoles, oh we had an Amstrad 464 when I was about 14yr old. I never got a stereo till I was 15 and I wasn't allowed to use the phone. Ok I know I am sounding as old as the Ark here but my point was we entertained ourselves with our 'nuffink' and we didn't destroy or harm anyone or anything. Too darned scared of the consquences. Ok we perhaps got a little boisterous or loud at times perhaps.

So is 'nuffink' to blame for our youths of today? Have they got too much that they have lost the art of entertaining themselves in a decent manner, is it because as adults we think we have to be doing something with the kids all the time. Is 'nuffink' a valid excuse? TBH I get really narked with the excuse'coz we have nuffink to do'.:mad:

[Lou]

Hmm thats an interesting point you raise Ms Pip, at this time on a friday night.

Yes to an extent i think you are right, I also think the parents are to blame. My children are of course angels.

The children of today, sorry i meant the YOUFF of today have (generally speaking) no work ethics. No ambition, and no desire to better them selves.

What is the answer?

Ask me again tomorrow...i have had a drink now and my answer right now is bring back national service!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pipsqueak]

Hmm thats an interesting point you raise Ms Pip, at this time on a friday night.

What is the answer?

Ask me again tomorrow...i have had a drink now and my answer right now is bring back national service!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol - sorry to be deep and meaningful on a Friday night. I agree - national service from the age of 8:thumbsup:

[Twinkles]

I agree Lou can't answer a question like that at this time of wine :panic:

I think teens feel it's against the rules to be happy and fulfilled no matter how much they have.

Some of the most discontented , sulky , selfish little ***** I know come from very wealthy families where they are given everything on a plate.

[nannymcflea]

Oh how I do so agree with you, excuses, excuses, excuses....mainly for c**p parenting by those who cannot be a***d to parent.:angry:

If I did something wrong my mum would know about it BEFORE I got home and boy would I be in for it.:clapping: (yes I am pleased she did)

My girls will be the same, I WILL find out, they know I will too.

I think the thing is with kids who are not brought up like this now, as many were not when I was growing up was the Police, we had respect, even those who were a little less well behaved had a fear of the police...a healthy fear that they would sort you out if you did wrong.

NOW, they say "you can't touch me, I know my rights"...and at the age of 11 or 12 they are right!:angry:

Governments, ALL of them have done this, they have taken away OUR rights and given them to the thugs and criminals to do with what they wish.:( :angry:

Oh Pip, why did you bring this up now...I've had a Baileys or 2!

Rant over.:laughing:

[tinynippers]

same in schools, teachers are scared of the kids.. i remember (not that long ago) a lad in my class hit a teacher wat did the teacher do? sent him to the head teacher who sat him in a room for the rest of the day then gave him a slip of paper to give to his parents to say that he was in detention the next day after school (have to give 24hrs notice for detention) did the lad give the slip to parents? probably not... did the lad turn up to school the next day? no.... did he ever get that detention? probably not..... did he get away with hitting that teacher? he most certainly did......

[Bazza]

I was always worried more about my parents reaction if i ever did anything bad. I suppose this day and age kids dont have that to worry about.

I have a theory that with every generation it gets worse. My grandparents and their generation were bought up to believe that eveything they were told by authority was true (Maybe because of the war they had to trust thier leaders). Many of the older people now are very trusting of people which is why you get so many pensioners getting conned.

My parents were less trusting of authority but thier generation still hold onto many moral values about crime and punishment etc. Generally they wont commit petty crime as they still see it as wrong. They are the last generation that actually respected the criminal justice system.

My generation does not trust any official authority and are the first in a long time to openly question the decisions of our leaders and to try to call them to account. We realise that we are being exploited in the form of high tax and lack of services and see some forms of crime, for example, benefit fraud, as a way of getting even with the authority that has been dipping into our pockets.

The new generation we have now dont respect any authority of any kind including parental and see crime as not just a way of getting bak at people, but as a way of getting ahead and a way of life. Criminal justice is nothing to be worried about nor are any penalties for minor crime. Status is all important an is gained by material posession (Bling).

This is a large generalisation on my part in know. Not everyone is a drug crazed hoodie, but they do exist. I suppose what i am saying is that it is each generations responsibility to make sure the next one is better, not worse. As i say, its just my theory. I do paint a bleak picture of the future!:D

[Daftbat]

It seems to me that as soon as you take some children away from their comofrt zone of electronic toys and media entertainment systems then they don't know how to cope. Their scope for imagination seems different to how mine was when i was a child.

My own daughter sometimes says "I have nothing to do" I respond with reminding her of all the things she has available to her! Children don't seem to be able to find their own enjoyment - perhaps we are all to blame (as parents) for keeping them so organised with various activities and feeling terrible if we don't take them to ballet, horse riding, gym classes, football etc etc etc.....

I think life used to be more sensible with children having less but its hard to avoid things when technology is used so much in everyday life.

[Blackhorse]

I am not old (am 29) but I still feel we got raised differently.
We had to show respect for other people and people things.
we were not allowed to talk back
and we knew we would be in trouble if we did something wrong.
we did NOT get entertained all day and we had to earn the right to go to do something special

where I grew up we spent a lot of time outside (in the countryside) unsupervised for most of the day. we were told to come home when we were hungry or when it was getting dark

my cousin and I spent most days in the winter skiing. (first on hill behind the house..no ski lifts or nothing) then on the ski slopes out in the fresh air...
or going for walks or helping my grandfather with the animals (he was in charge of wild deer etc etc etc)

we never sat around bored and always found something to do..or had to help with something...collecting berries, mushrooms, eggs from the chickens etc etc etc

but all in all I think we were raised very strict with consequences for our own actions!! and we knew it!
we knew if we broke something there would be someone that would hold us accountable or smack our bums. If we did something stupid we would end up hurting ourselves....I guess that way you learn fast
and I am really glad for it now!

Nowadays I think there are too many toys, activities (organised ones)..nothing is really treasured as you have 200 more things in a box somewhere and you dont always have to earn what you want to do.
I also think there is too much tv watching and not enough family time where everyone does something together... and if parents dont have certain values and principles then how should they pass them on the kids...

My granny still remembers WW2 and the hardship of it all..nothing compared to anything we younger ones would have ever had to face and I think this was also handed down in how we got raised....

...and I could go on and on....:D

so this is my final sentence:

IF YOU ARE BORED YOU HAVE A CHOICE OF WHAT YOU WILL DO WITH YOURSELF.

[Daftbat]

It seems to me that as soon as you take some children away from their comofrt zone of electronic toys and media entertainment systems then they don't know how to cope. Their scope for imagination seems different to how mine was when i was a child.

My own daughter sometimes says "I have nothing to do" I respond with reminding her of all the things she has available to her! Children don't seem to be able to find their own enjoyment - perhaps we are all to blame (as parents) for keeping them so organised with various activities and feeling terrible if we don't take them to ballet, horse riding, gym classes, football etc etc etc.....

I think life used to be more sensible with children having less but its hard to avoid things when technology is used so much in everyday life.

[Daftbat]

sorry i managed to post twice!:blush:

Not very good with electronics - as you can see:blush:

[nannymcflea]

sorry i managed to post twice!:blush:

Not very good with electronics - as you can see:blush:

Should have asked a 3 year old!:laughing:

[singingcactus]

Aww, what a shame. You should live here, cos although there are a few teens who cause trouble the vast majority of ours are lovely. If they saw someone in need they'd step in, and all they'd want in return would be a smile and a thank you.
There are some vandals, but not the teens in general. In fact most of our vandals have managed to make it into young adulthood so can no longer be classed as 'kids of today'.
I think it is less to do with having nothing to do, than having nowhere to go where people don't judge you simply for being young. An older person will see a couple of teens having some chips on the bench outside the co -op and automatically assume they are yobs. It's like state/media sanctioned discrimination.