Teens upset with Laurel mall policy

[Joelaw]

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060707/NEWS01/607070303/1002

I read that Turtlecreek is not looking into this at this time but.....

[SoMissTV]

Boo-hoo... those kids should suck it up. "I don't want my parents to see who I'm hanging out with" is generally an indication that you're hanging out with people you shouldn't be.

[OGRepub]

My favorite quote was "I already spend too much time with them" referring to her parents. That should tell you what home is like. I wish Turtle Creek would do this. As the parent of a teenager, I've fought several times when he wanted to be dropped off at the mall of Friday or Saturday night. I have no reason not to trust him, great kid. I just refuse to put him in situations where I don't trust other people. The mall is not a public day care.

[Bahlk]

Sawmill Square must have had some major problems if they instituted a police like that.

[TerriL]

My hometown is Laurel and my parents still live there. For some time now, parents have been using the mall as a babysitting service. Mobs of teens wander the mall.They don't seem to be doing anything bad, but I can imagine the problems that these crowds cause. ON THE OTHER HAND, Laurel, and many other area towns, need to find some places for these kids to go. There are very few places that welcome teens and give them a place to just socialize. What did we do at this age?

[ACEsmom]

I saw the quote where the girl said she didn't want her parents to know who she was hanging out with. That should set off bells and whistles. If I don't know who my son is with- and their parents - he's not going. But I also have a step daughter the same age and her mom most of the time has no idea where she is (and she's 12).
It's not like the mall is saying you always have to be there with your parents. It's only between 6 and 9. They can still hang without their parents during the day.
I was wondering when this was going to start. In other cities they've been doing it. The teens will spend $20 on average, while adults spend $80. They've found that sales have increased because more adults will go cuz theres not as many teens. I wish I could remember where I read about it.
I defense of the teens - there is nowhere else to go in Laurel. Someone could make some money there.
I remember "cruising" and hanging out in parking lots.

[citygirl]

[QUOTE=TerriL...There are very few places that welcome teens and give them a place to just socialize. What did we do at this age?[/QUOTE]

Well, what I did was stay at home watching T.V. with "my family". Every so often we would go to the skating rink. I remember there were times though, that the moms would sit in concession area waiting on us. That was "their time" to visit and we weren't embarrased by it either. That's just how it was.

Guess that's the difference and the changing times. I had a stay at home mom and money didn't grow on trees in our neighborhood. I guess my parents didn't feel like they both needed to work so that their children could have better lives than they did. Maybe 'cause their lives weren't all that bad. I don't think mine was either. 'Course I probably did back then at times! LOL!!!

[Joelaw]

I had to go to turtle creek mall today and had to wade through MOBS of teens ( looked to be from 12 to 16 years of age mostly ). I mean when I say "wade" I had to ask them to move because they were blocking a whole side of the walk way ( making it impossible to enter some stores ). I wish Turtle creek would make a rule like this but from say 5pm till close on Friday and Saturday with the exception of the movies and restaurants, that way the kids do have somewhere to go on a date ( not that a 12-15 year old needs to go out on a date unsupervised IMHO ). The biggest problem I have with them is they get in your way when your trying to go from one store to another.
On a side note what happen to mall security? Back in the early 90's when I was in high school if a group ( more than 4 or 5 in number ) began to pile up the mall fuzz would be on us like Fairley on a dollar. Now kids gather up in groups on 20+ and block one side of the mall, and security says nothing to them ( maybe they have something against Petal kids lol )

[daisy]

I wonder if this Laurel Sawmill policy isn't connected with Mayor Mack getting control of his city. Wasn't it a few weeks ago that he went to check out groups of kids on one of the avenues shooting and he was shocked that they were brazenly toting guns like cellphones.

I remember him saying he woild get control of that city and may have to make it inconvenient for citizens for awhile--roadblocks--curfews? etc.

Maybe all this is working together not to mention like Joe Law said it's hard and can be intimidating to wade through clusters of teens who are in their world as most kids are.

I don't know what cities can offer with budget cuts. Looking back as a child and teen I had my small town activities, neighborhood friends, school friends, church friends, homework time along with your family chore
family time. We were expected to have family suppertime together.

[ACEsmom]

Family chore -- I have to laugh. We have chores for the kids. Basic ones like clean your room daily, feed the cats. Then they have some like loading and unloading the dishwasher. I was actually told my house was like a prison because I make my kids responsible for things. Funny it was by someone whos kids were out of control on drugs and ... I saw that and had to throw that in. Thankfully someone is making parents somewhat responsible for their kids. I just wish there were more places that would.

[Joelaw]

I was actually told my house was like a prison because I make my kids responsible for things. Funny it was by someone whos kids were out of control on drugs


Tell that person its not prison, its discipline.
Prison is somewhere people go when they have no discipline.

[nooskye]

What did we do at this age?

Ironically enough ... we went to the mall ... Cloverleaf to be exact ...

[Janedoe]

This whole generation of teens (black & white!) are self absorbed , tech driven, & self indulgent. They have been brought up with t.v., cell phones (heck I was 17 before I got my own phone line), video games, & modern conviniences we could never have dreamed of. They don't spend much $$$ at the mall , they loiter, make out, tear up arcade games, & generally drink way to much coffee. Never a good thing.