[MR] Teenager abuse at Pennsic

Thu Aug 14 12:14:55 PDT 2008

Agreed,
it is up to the parents to supervise the activities of their underage
(however we define it) kids.  Speaking as a parent with two now-adult
offspring, this is not as easy as it sounds, though. If I sit down with my
son to work out his schedule for the day, I must then turn into a police
officer to make certain that he arrives at his arranged places and behaves
himself while he's there.  This means missing out on MY fun, and frankly,
that is a bit difficult for all of us but for some adults utterly
impossible. I've seen more than my share of young teens running wild, being
rude, and generally making  us all wish they'd stayed at home.

Parents need to instill in their kids while they're still eligible for
childrens' activities the skills of courtly manners and doing what you say
you'll be doing.  Everyone's a lot happier when this happens.

I know that making up a whole track of teen-oriented classes and activities
can feel like the most superfluous thing anyone can do. The kids form little
groups, and if the group doesn't want to do something, then none of them do
it, no matter how much work you've put into planning something fun for
them.  Teens are just a really hard audience.

Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with letting them play D&D, as long as
they're playing it the way some of us did when we were young - on our rear
ends, using only our imaginations and the whims of the Dungeonmaster.
Building creative ability is good, and if we have to do it this way, it's
safe, you know where the kids are, and they're not bugging someone with rude
behaviors.

Why don't we ask these kids what they'd like to see?  No, this will not mean
that they'll all show up at something they've asked for, but it may give us
something to build on.

Kids who cannot behave, I have uses for.  They generally don't like those
uses, but I can keep a few of the occupied for several hours (haul this,
carry this to Sir Whatnot, put this file in order.....)

Gerita

On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 2:57 PM, M'lady Foxy <angellfoxx at yahoo.com> wrote:

>  I think we're missing the main point here.. Its the PARENTS responibility
> to make sure thier kids speak and act with respect no matter where they are
> be it an SCA event or mundane.If your kids aren't intreasted in sca events
> leave them to stay with a friend or family at home.What are these children
> learning by watching video or playing D&D in the activitys room (which is
> what I'd heard it called)?The whole premise of SCA is to recreate the time
> period we play in not roll dice to see if your troll kills someones elf...
> the idea of getting them involed at royal camp is a great idea with one flaw
> .. most teenagers are not the most reliable.I've had positive and negitive
> experiances with teens at war but no more then the adults I've been around
> at war.I seem to remember wars ago there was a teen camp ... and result was
> that too many incidents happened that they never repeated the idea to my
> knowledge.I think that it all comes down to parents getting
>  involved and making real choices on what experiances they expect ...and
> laying clear rules for the teens in thier charge.
>
>  Medb Ceitinn
>
>
> --- On Thu, 8/14/08, mweymark at carolina.rr.com <mweymark at carolina.rr.com>
> wrote:
>
> > From: mweymark at carolina.rr.com <mweymark at carolina.rr.com>
> > Subject: Re: [MR] Teenager abuse at Pennsic
> > To: "Cian Conor MacQuaid" <Cian at MacQuaid.org>
> > Cc: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> > Date: Thursday, August 14, 2008, 12:05 PM
> > Actually you are correcct, the implication that the kids
> > likely to cause trouble would not consider joining in was
> > wrong to imply.  However, we do this because it is fun for
> > us.  I do service because well, Im a service junky with a
> > high amount of Helium in my arm blood (a condition my laurel
> > is trying to cure).  I have had the good fortune of working
> > along side some like afflicted teens, and I have also heard
> > teens protest about doing service because it is like a
> > chore.
> >
> > I think we (as a communitee) need to come up with social
> > alternatives for our youth to keep their interest rather
> > than finding jobs to keep them busy!  Teen gaming is a
> > wonderful idea. And we could even take it a step further and
> > have it run by older Pages (over 16 crowd).  Having the
> > pages run the games might make being a page a little more
> > appealing as well.  I dunno if we could legally do that but
> > I mean if the teens are hanging out now without supervision
> > wouldnt this be a step up?
> > --
> >
> > Caterine St. Loe
> > "the Good 'Prentice"
> > Chateaux Ferneaux
> >
> > ========================================================================
> >                    The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
> >     List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
> >   Submissions: Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> > Subscriptions:
> > http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/mailman/listinfo/atlantia
>
>
>
> ========================================================================
>                   The Merry Rose Tavern at Cheapside
>    List Info: http://merryrose.atlantia.sca.org/
>  Submissions: Atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
> Subscriptions: http://seahorse.atlantia.sca.org/mailman/listinfo/atlantia
>