by Marc Bradburry

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 07, 2009

In a society where we have slowly diminished our expectations of our youth, we further aggravate the fact by abolishing laws and rules that were originally installed for their safety. I see it more and more when school is out, unattended teens running relentlessly through the stores, neighborhoods just doing what they want. The reason we don't allow them most of their rights until their 18 is simply because they cannot handle complete freedom due to lack of life experience. Even at the legal age hormones and immaturity run rampant.

We have this law to deny the opportunity for them to make a mistake in the hours where there are dozen of chances to do so. Abolishing the law doesn't solve any problem, it just turns it into another way we are turning our back to the youth and passing off the obligation we have to teach them boundaries. They can't do whatever they want, and until they can support themselves in the world I see no point in allowing them to run around at night.

Yes, I see the argument that the parent has the right to judge, based on the character of their child, to set a curfew. However, we all know, not all parents are in control of their children and allow them to do whatever they want whenever they want. Truth is, that is not how life works. By cutting down on a teens limitations while they are fed, housed and taken care of by their parents, gives a teen an obscure way to think. As parents we see ourselves following laws, doing our jobs, and caring for our families. Should we not expect the same out of them?

Do you go around asking to abolish a law because it's inconvenient to you? How much longer are we going to bend and break to allow the youth more opportunities to fail? A teen's life isn't supposed to be boot camp, but it needs to be structured and limited. I hate seeing all of these teens lose hope and drop out of high school, and really that's our fault. When did it become so easy for a teen to choose whether or not their education is important? It comes from a long line of people saying that we are oppressing our children, and that they need more choices in life. We all felt oppressed and some point in time, but we learned that no matter where you go, there will always be rules and boundaries.

Being ex military I see how this younger generation lacks discipline, and it's because we don't allow them to practice it by following simple laws such as curfew. Instead of focusing on whether or not teens should stay out late, we should be debating on how we need to motivate these kids to stay in school and follow the rules already set for them.

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