When we send our children out into the world — whether they be new adults or younger kids out with friends or family — we hope we’ve taught them well — how to be independent, to be safe and most of all, to be responsible.
There comes a time when letting your children explore the world on their own becomes very important to their development and, to be frank, parents just cannot keep their kids cooped up all of their lives. It’s not healthy. Nor is always trying to keep tabs on them when they do go out.
There’s reasonable: demanding phone calls or texts when they reach their destination.
Then, there’s unreasonable: following them, or having them followed, or perhaps implanted with tracking devices.
OK, that last one is going too far, but recent reactions to vandalism in Parksville’s Community Park makes it seem like some people want more draconian measures taken to monitor people’s movements.
Parents cannot watch everything their children do, so calls for parents to be more responsible for their children’s actions are simply unreasonable. Certainly, the damage done in senseless acts of vandalism isn’t a good thing — but those responsible should be held accountable. That’s something we teach our children, so if they are guilty of such acts, they shouldn’t be surprised when they are punished.
So, no slaps on the wrist. If they did the crime, they should face the consequences. Their parents should not be held accountable (unless they too are culpable), they are certainly disappointed enough.
— editorial by Steven Heywood