Teen Curfews

It’s a very different world for my teens than it was for me; I was a teenager in the nineties. For the most part, I think kids want curfews and rules set by their parents or guardians. It gives them a sense of security, knowing someone cares for them. Curfews are often needed to prevent teens from getting in trouble late at night. A curfew should slightly vary depending on the situation. Besides parents placing curfews on teen; you now see malls and cities placing curfews on teens. Curfews are good but at what point are we overwhelming teens with all of these limitations? As parents we have an obligation to set boundaries for our children. We should not rely on society to get fed up and set the boundaries for us. Growing up I had curfews for different events or outings. I also had curfews for telephone calls or visitors at the house. Being accountable for my actions helped me become the person I am today. Curfews helped me understand the need for rules and how to live in society as a responsible adult. In the nineties society had no need to place curfews on teens at the mall, in the city, or even in their car; mostly due to the face that parents took more responsibility at that time that they do today. The lack of curfews set by parents has led to the implementation of curfews by communities. I can remember it all starting at malls across America. Teens not allowed in the mall after 8pm unless they were accompanied by and adult. “Unfortunately, malls have become a kind of day care for teens, where young people go to hang out on weekends and after school (McCollum, 2005).” Curfews at malls do not totally ban teens. They are more than welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Adult supervision allows everyone in the mall to have a more enjoyable experience. With mall and city curfews it keeps the kids in a safe environment with adult supervision close. City curfews are becoming more popular around America. People need to realize curfews are not