Are you the parent of teen?

Livetotravel wrote: Please discuss what to do about the "gangs" of white, disaffected Park Slope youth roaming the streets aimlessly on Friday and Sat nights and smoking pot and drinking beer in the garbage area of my building. Thanks for doing that.

I was sitting in tea lounge trying to work a few fridays ago from about 4pm-9pm and this group of 4 or 5 13-15yr old looking girls sat across the desk from me and tittered for about 2 hours about how fucked up they were going to get, who was buying the beer, why they didnt want to go to that "skanks" house to pick up the pot, the boys they were planning on making out with, etc etc.

And, as someone who is not THAT far from school-aged (a good 10 years from that, but my moms a middleschool teacher so I stay in touch with the kids) I can say that these girls were earing $300 outfits, easily, and all had blackberrys and designer purses. Wonder where all that money for booze and green is coming from, eh?

razen cain wrote: [quote=Carmen]Wonder where all that money for booze and green is coming from, eh?

The sale of Girls Gone Wild videos?

aahahaha

Carmen wrote: [quote=Livetotravel]Please discuss what to do about the "gangs" of white, disaffected Park Slope youth roaming the streets aimlessly on Friday and Sat nights and smoking pot and drinking beer in the garbage area of my building. Thanks for doing that.

I was sitting in tea lounge trying to work a few fridays ago from about 4pm-9pm and this group of 4 or 5 13-15yr old looking girls sat across the desk from me and tittered for about 2 hours about how fucked up they were going to get, who was buying the beer, why they didnt want to go to that "skanks" house to pick up the pot, the boys they were planning on making out with, etc etc.

And, as someone who is not THAT far from school-aged (a good 10 years from that, but my moms a middleschool teacher so I stay in touch with the kids) I can say that these girls were earing $300 outfits, easily, and all had blackberrys and designer purses. Wonder where all that money for booze and green is coming from, eh?

What has changed?

A million years ago, when I was a teen, I remember the same type of behavior, but not the technology. However, I also remember teens who acted like that in public places -- loudly discussed inappropriate activities -- usually got kicked out by the manager/owner.

snickers76 wrote: [quote=raw][quote=Carmen][quote=Livetotravel]Please discuss what to do about the "gangs" of white, disaffected Park Slope youth roaming the streets aimlessly on Friday and Sat nights and smoking pot and drinking beer in the garbage area of my building. Thanks for doing that.

I was sitting in tea lounge trying to work a few fridays ago from about 4pm-9pm and this group of 4 or 5 13-15yr old looking girls sat across the desk from me and tittered for about 2 hours about how fucked up they were going to get, who was buying the beer, why they didnt want to go to that "skanks" house to pick up the pot, the boys they were planning on making out with, etc etc.

And, as someone who is not THAT far from school-aged (a good 10 years from that, but my moms a middleschool teacher so I stay in touch with the kids) I can say that these girls were earing $300 outfits, easily, and all had blackberrys and designer purses. Wonder where all that money for booze and green is coming from, eh?

What has changed?

A million years ago, when I was a teen, I remember the same type of behavior, but not the technology. However, I also remember teens who acted like that in public places -- loudly discussed inappropriate activities -- usually got kicked out by the manager/owner.

I agree. I was a loud, obnoxious, underage drinking, pot smoking, walkman carrying teen roaming the streets of Flatbush, Brooklyn more than a decade ago. Where did I get my money for my pot and booze? First my allowance, but then my job at Genovese on Nostrand Ave. And substitute the tea lounge for a grimy pool hall on Nostrand and I and those girls could've been me and my girls--sans three hundred dollar outfits...I mean it WAS the grunge era and all...

I guess I was a real goody-goody then, when I was that age (and, as Ive said, it wasnt THAT long ago) I didn't spend my evenings talking about not wanting to walk to that "sluts house to go pick up pot" because she "slept with my boyfriend." these girls really looked about 13. I partied pretty hard in highschool but I guess there was always the fear of god instilled in me that my mother could possibly walk into wherever I was so I kept that shit on the DL. Did I drink and do drugs in highschool? Sure (most likely more than those kids.) Did I feel so obnoxiously untouchable that I could almost soapox-style announce it to an entire restaurant? Hell no. I think it's a matter of basic respect for adults and it just screams entitlement to me.

I dont know. Maybe I'm too "conservative" for tea lounge. I just found it extremely cocky

Livetotravel wrote: I really think that groups of parents should discuss becoming real parents and not "friends" or worst "victims."

They should read this too:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/16/opinion/16coben.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

Please discuss why teens hate their parents.