...Just a few friends over....
Posted: Nov 6th, 2017, 5:25 am
A concerned parent wrote a letter to Castanet today:
https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#210732
Unfortunately, this ugly situation is a very common occurrence. The kids say something innocently on social media, some scumbag sees it and alerts his/her crew and it's on.
Firstly, just a gentle reminder and I'm not getting all judgey-judgey here - this is just a hard lesson to learn - one of the kids had to have mentioned on social media, or by that old fashioned way "word of mouth", that there would be "no parents". Had the parents been home this probably could have been avoided and if anyone had tried to gain entry the police would have been called much sooner. The kids alone would try to handle it themselves and be overwhelmed before thinking to call the cops out thinking at first they could handle it without their parents finding out, or out of fear of reprisal from the creeps, or many other reasons.
This is a crazy day and age - there are so many things that can (and do) go wrong with kids having parties without adults present, some with very tragic outcomes, because others find out and invade. Thankfully, it doesn't sound like anyone suffered any injuries this time other that hurt pride and fear and material loss.
If the kids want to have "a few friends over" - even if they are older teens or in their early 20's living at home - the home owner/parents need to be present, or at least no farther away than next door at the neighbours. There's only one way to stop word spreading on social media that the "parents won't be there" - that's for the parents to be there.
Sure a 14 year old is USUALLY old enough to be at home alone under regular circumstances, or babysitting with strict rules that NO OTHER KIDS be allowed over when adults aren't home, but how do you prevent them from yakking to friends on social media about it? Kids talk (well not much but they text) and if it sounds draconian, or heavy-handed, or makes the kids feel like they have helicopter parents - well tough.
Guns and other weapons, can and have, shown up with these sleezeball groups of invaders and then sadly the conversation afterwards is a whole lot different than damage to the house and stolen property.
Just do yourselves and your kids a favour - be present. The kids can snarl and gripe about it but a lot of them secretly are happy that you put your foot down - sure, allow the party but, BE PRESENT somewhere very close by.
https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#210732
Unfortunately, this ugly situation is a very common occurrence. The kids say something innocently on social media, some scumbag sees it and alerts his/her crew and it's on.
Firstly, just a gentle reminder and I'm not getting all judgey-judgey here - this is just a hard lesson to learn - one of the kids had to have mentioned on social media, or by that old fashioned way "word of mouth", that there would be "no parents". Had the parents been home this probably could have been avoided and if anyone had tried to gain entry the police would have been called much sooner. The kids alone would try to handle it themselves and be overwhelmed before thinking to call the cops out thinking at first they could handle it without their parents finding out, or out of fear of reprisal from the creeps, or many other reasons.
This is a crazy day and age - there are so many things that can (and do) go wrong with kids having parties without adults present, some with very tragic outcomes, because others find out and invade. Thankfully, it doesn't sound like anyone suffered any injuries this time other that hurt pride and fear and material loss.
If the kids want to have "a few friends over" - even if they are older teens or in their early 20's living at home - the home owner/parents need to be present, or at least no farther away than next door at the neighbours. There's only one way to stop word spreading on social media that the "parents won't be there" - that's for the parents to be there.
Sure a 14 year old is USUALLY old enough to be at home alone under regular circumstances, or babysitting with strict rules that NO OTHER KIDS be allowed over when adults aren't home, but how do you prevent them from yakking to friends on social media about it? Kids talk (well not much but they text) and if it sounds draconian, or heavy-handed, or makes the kids feel like they have helicopter parents - well tough.
Guns and other weapons, can and have, shown up with these sleezeball groups of invaders and then sadly the conversation afterwards is a whole lot different than damage to the house and stolen property.
Just do yourselves and your kids a favour - be present. The kids can snarl and gripe about it but a lot of them secretly are happy that you put your foot down - sure, allow the party but, BE PRESENT somewhere very close by.