Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Mosquito on kids

Warning - personal story alert - may be boring!

I was appalled by this latest story about the product that screams at kids but can't be heard by adults. We seem to spend all our time denigrating kids and tarring them all with the same brush. Well from what I have seen through the sprog and his mates we are in safe hands.

Its not as if kids hanging around is anything new and from personal experience I believe if treated properly it isn't a problem. Let me tell you a boring story from my youth.

This New Year I spent a few nights in a hotel in a small North Yorkshire town with the Great Wiseone and some friends. It just so happens that this town happens to be where TGS spent his teen years in the late 60's and early 70's. There is a large roundabout in this town and despite having an access to a very well equipped youth club we preferred to hang about at this roundabout - messing about and watching the world go by.

There were complaints and the local copper used to come by regularly and occasionally move us on, but we just returned. I am sure, no I know, older people found us intimidating but that wasn't our aim. We all had long hair as this was the fashion, and don't forget this was new, and some wore leathers.

Of that group most have done very well for ourselves and have brought up children responsibly. Those kids also went through similar phases.

Ah, but today's kids are worse, they swear and drink alcohol some would say. Well they have got this from their parents so we can't blame the kids. I'll never forget moving to Ealing in London for a few weeks in the early 90's and hearing groups of women stood in the road effing and blinding in general conversation whilst their toddlers stood around listening. We reap what we sow.

What we need is more PC Plods wandering around engaging with the kids, not more rules and abuse of them.

UPDATE: The Dude says it all a lot more succinctly that I here and here. Please find the time to read them, they are good.

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