Parenting Teens

In one of my recent web searches for news involving teenagers, I ran across a lot of disturbing news stories. One article, on Tennessean.com, involved a woman who was being held responsible for a number of teenagers drinking at her home. Here’s an excerpt:

Claudia D. Allen, 45, pleaded guilty to contributing to the delinquency of a minor on Tuesday, though she says she never condoned underage drinking. Allen had also been charged with violating the state’s liquor law for purchasing alcohol for a minor, but that charge was dropped.

Officer Brent Rose said he received a call on April 1 from a neighbor of Allen’s who suspected there were minors drinking at her home. Rose stated in a report that he arrived at Allen’s home, 2205 Winder Circle, and observed six teenagers, including her 17-year-old daughter, drinking on the back deck with her.

“There were two half-cases of Bud Light and a couple of mixed drinks,” Rose told The Tennessean. “There were around nine to 12 kids there.”

Rose said several of the teens ran toward a fence when they saw him. He caught two. Another officer found girls inside Allen’s home with alcoholic beverages, according to Rose.

The woman was sentenced to five days in jail, a year of probation, and fined $500, all the while protesting that the officer had lied, that she had never condoned the teenagers drinking, that someone else had brought the beer to her home, etc. A neighbor had called the police.

Parents drinking with their underage kids is disturbing enough. But the comments that this article received were even worse. Following is just a sampling of the comments.

“Another holier-than-thou, can’t keep his nose in his own business neighbor. I love you freakin’ moralists that have nothing better to do than condemn others. Kids are going to drink, we don’t need to condone it but we don’t need to act like it is a capital offense either. Any neighbor of mine who steps across the property line yelling and screaming at my guests best have packed a lunch, he is gonna be in for a long day.”

“This cop is a real *hole. This is harassment. And the neighbor needs to mind his own damn business.”

“You guys are judgemental losers. You were probably big goobers in high school and have painful memories of being left out by the kids who were having fun. Obviously you can’t handle your liquor if you think a 12-pack’s gonna get 10 kids drunk. Cop is a jerk, too, and the neighbor needs to get a life.”

This is but a small sample of the wonderfully enlightened and intelligent comments which were left by readers. Underage drinking being allowed by parents? And these people think those who put a stop to it were the ones in the wrong?

This is one of those “I don’t know what the world is coming to!” moments!

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