Just a Thought

• Just a Thought
  

  

  viking

  
  

  I was reading in the State Government News Magazine (April, 2000)an article regarding kids and crime: "Kids in elementary school and teens not old enough to sign contracts, drive, marry, leave school or vote can be tried as adults in many states. States are moving more towards prosecuting youthful offenders as adults." If this is the case, why then can elementary school and teen boys who want long hair be treated as adults in their decision making without their parents interference and be allowed to grow it as long as they want? I know why. But as I stated, it was just a thought.

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  • Re: Just a Thought
    

    

    rob

    
    

    I was reading in the State Government News Magazine (April, 2000)an article regarding kids and crime: "Kids in elementary school and teens not old enough to sign contracts, drive, marry, leave school or vote can be tried as adults in many states. States are moving more towards prosecuting youthful offenders as adults." If this is the case, why then can elementary school and teen boys who want long hair be treated as adults in their decision making without their parents interference and be allowed to grow it as long as they want? I know why. But as I stated, it was just a thought.

    Amen, brother...you are preaching to the choir on this hyperboard!

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  • Re: Just a Thought
    

    

    john

    
    

    i'm not sure i agree wholeheartedly with your post, though i do see your point. while i do not condone forced hair cutting, i take strong exception to the concept of dictating how a parent can run his and/or her household including expectations on hair length. most parents want what's best for their kids & they feel, rightly so, that an unusual hairstyle will work against the child's chances of getting ahead as they enter adulthood. regrettably, this means pandering to the prejudices of those in charge. allowing a child to express him- or herself through dress and hairstyle ought to be contingent on his or her understanding and acceptance of any possible negative affect that decision may have in the future (you can grow your hair, but it'll be harder to land a job with long hair...).

    as far as you hair length/treat as adult in court analogy; the move toward treating minors as adults in the court system has paralleled a rise in violent crimes committed by minors. in my opinion this increase is because many parents are unable or unwilling to account for what their kids are doing. the crimes being committed are evidence to me that some kids are not yet capable of making good decisions on their own ... so granting them adult decision making status on the basis of how courts are treating them does not strike a receptive chord with me- if anything, many parents need to be interfering MORE in the lives of their children... but need to do so responsibly and thoughtfully with skills that are clearly reasoned out. privacy and freedom are rights once you become 18. until then, as a minor, you must earn your 'rights' from the people who are ultimately responsible for the things you do... your parents.

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    • Re: Just a Thought
      

      

      Charles

      
      

      i'm not sure i agree wholeheartedly with your post, though i do see your point. while i do not condone forced hair cutting, i take strong exception to the concept of dictating how a parent can run his and/or her household including expectations on hair length. most parents want what's best for their kids & they feel, rightly so, that an unusual hairstyle will work against the child's chances of getting ahead as they enter adulthood. regrettably, this means pandering to the prejudices of those in charge. allowing a child to express him- or herself through dress and hairstyle ought to be contingent on his or her understanding and acceptance of any possible negative affect that decision may have in the future (you can grow your hair, but it'll be harder to land a job with long hair...).

      I think I agree with you reluctantly on this one.

      as far as you hair length/treat as adult in court analogy; the move toward treating minors as adults in the court system has paralleled a rise in violent crimes committed by minors. in my opinion this increase is because many parents are unable or unwilling to account for what their kids are doing. the crimes being committed are evidence to me that some kids are not yet capable of making good decisions on their own ... so granting them adult decision making status on the basis of how courts are treating them does not strike a receptive chord with me- if anything, many parents need to be interfering MORE in the lives of their children... but need to do so responsibly and thoughtfully with skills that are clearly reasoned out. privacy and freedom are rights once you become 18. until then, as a minor, you must earn your 'rights' from the people who are ultimately responsible for the things you do... your parents.

      A question I have here is whether the situation with parenting has reached this stage because of ideas of people like Dr. Benjamin Spock and others who've advocated allowing children to do anything they want and of not applying corporal punishment when it might be necessary?

      I agree with you here that parents should be more involved with their children's affairs without stifling them in areas which are harmless, such as keeping long hair.

      However, finding that balance between enough involvement and too much is not always easy.

      BTW. I'm not a parent, so I don't have to face this sort of challenge.

      Regards

      Charles

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