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Teens Gone Wild
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Posted by baketown Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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There was an article in the paper last week about fights breaking out at The Marketplace.  Teenagers converge on the shopping center in droves on the weekends to hang out.  (I’m sure the business owners are thrilled the kids have chosen that spot to gather.)  This weekend there were more fights and five kids were taken to jail.  The shopping center increased its security from six to nine, but it still isn’t enough to supervise  all of kids present.

A couple of years ago Paul and I went to Edwards to see a movie on a Friday night.  I was shocked at the number of kids wandering around.  As we walked to the car a pack of younger kids, probably around 12 or so, came barreling down the walkway, tackled another kid, and began hitting and  kicking him.  Right in front of Rite Aid and right in front of a security guard who looked to be about eighty. He just looked on with a sort of bored disinterest, so I began yelling at the kids to knock it off (much to Paul’s horror.)  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. 

I don’t understand why parents allow their kids to hang out there.  I mean, I know they need somewhere to go, and teenagers are going to do what they want for the most part, but really, parents need to do more.  They shouldn’t just let their kids run wild like that.  It’s just not safe.  I’ve got it easy; my kid doesn’t even want to hang out at The Marketplace.

Of course that’s probably because he knows if he did I would go with him.

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Comment From: krotchdaband

very very sad.............why cant we ALL just get along..? Comment From: twinkie

A looooooooooong, long time ago, in a galaxy far away.. ok it was Black Angus off Rosedale... anyways.. I went "clubbing". As the club closed and everyone was getting in their cars, a group of about three meatheads ran out of the club, and started pounding on anybody and everybody they saw. No rhyme or reason. Just thought it would be a fun thing to do I guess? Bad teens turn into bad adults. I don't think it's a "teen thing". I think it's a moron thing. Comment From: Chase

Here are parents presently: ::dont do anything, dont do anything:: "What happened, why dont they listen to me?" ::dont do anything:: "I told them no and they still said they wanted to, I'd better let them, they just dont listen". Basically parents are idiots now. They fail to see the connection between what they do and what their kids do. Its kind of hard to pay attention to your life when you've got to get your prozac filled again. But also, Bakersfield is not youth friendly. Even if it was, the kids are too big of idiots to be responsible with what they'd have. The marketplace is a gathering ground for 12 year old girls who smoke and say "ass" and "bitch" and 19 year old guys with cars who drive around for hours with their doors open blaring their mating call in order to win over one of the many 7th grade "women" there for a night on the town. Now I'm upset, I hate so much here. Comment From: twinkie

Chase... that is what the marketplace is? Oh shit... I better go pick up my fourth grader from there then, it's almost midnight. I thought he was safe. I told him he was too young to go but he said everybody was doing it, so I let him go. KIDDING. :) The last time my kids were at the Marketplace, they were with me, and we went to Russo's to check out Mento Buru and Nick of nlbelardes.com's Stories From Dust event. You're very VERY right though. Parents don't spend enough time or energy on their kids then wonder what the hell happened. Of course that is not always the case. Sometimes even the best parenting won't make a difference. But still... you have to try, right? Comment From: Chase

Parenting has to start early on and if not, you'll be lucky to get something going later. You cant pop in with rules and shite 10 years later and expect it to take. At least not in a traditional manner. I know from personal experience, I'm just lucky to be intelligent enough to know whats a good path and a bad path. Comment From: twinkie

I was at the marketplace last night with my 16 year old son and his 15 year old cousin. And I have to say, it looked really family friendly. This security guard came up to us and smiled and asked how we were doing and I thought that was sweet. I also thought it was cool that they hire twelve year olds for security guards. Ok, so maybe he wasn't twelve but he sure did look it. LOL Comment From: Chase

Thats your first problem, you were there on a Thursday night, not a Friday. The tough kids aren't allowed to go out on Thursdays. And the Security Guards are douchebags. Comment From: twinkie

I was actually thinking... if the marketplace hosted more family friendly events the tough kids would find a new place to hang out. But if they are not going to do that, then they need to hire security that looks like security, not cute little boys who look like they are out past their bedtime!