Ding dong ditching and cops brought home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

Best played in dark busy streets.

[Anonymous]

If my 13yo was spending the night out and the mom called me at 10 PM to ask my permission if he could walk to the park down the street I would think she lost her marbles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

It’s not helicopter parenting to have basic respect for your neighbors, and all of those nighttime activities you described can be done on your own property. This “age appropriate” line of argument falls flat - it’s rude behavior and it’s not justified just because they are boys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If my 13yo was spending the night out and the mom called me at 10 PM to ask my permission if he could walk to the park down the street I would think she lost her marbles.

And I would appreciate the heads up. Parents are different.

[Anonymous]

Just do a quick google search of the crazy reactions people have had to doorbell pranks. There are wackos out there. One guy in California went after a group of teens who pranked him, running them over and killing 3. A guy in Long Island shot a teen in the arm after that kid did the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this prank call stuff made me think back to my day. We totally prank called people. But it was during the day, and it was usually people we knew. And it was like, obviously a prank like “is your refrigerator running?” nonsense.

But once my mom got a call and it was a male voice asking how her husband was doing “after that terrible accident”. My mom was like what?? And the person laughed and hung up. My mom spent time calling my dads work, eventually pulling him out of a meeting (this is all pre cell phone) to make sure he was ok. She was in tears.

There are pranks and there are pranks. Seven year olds knocking on a door at 2pm and then giggling and running off, that you can see through your window, to someone they know like a friends mom, ok. Fine. Fourteen year olds to unknown houses , in a pack, in the middle of the night ? No. And don’t pretend you don’t see the difference between these two “pranks”.

In the spectrum between 1 (Is your refrigerator running") and 10 (How is your husband doing after that terrible accident), this is a 1.1.

A pack of unknown teen males knocking on my door at 10pm and then hiding in my yard waiting for me to open the door, if I were home alone, would not be a 1.1

The description above says more about you than about the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this prank call stuff made me think back to my day. We totally prank called people. But it was during the day, and it was usually people we knew. And it was like, obviously a prank like “is your refrigerator running?” nonsense.

But once my mom got a call and it was a male voice asking how her husband was doing “after that terrible accident”. My mom was like what?? And the person laughed and hung up. My mom spent time calling my dads work, eventually pulling him out of a meeting (this is all pre cell phone) to make sure he was ok. She was in tears.

There are pranks and there are pranks. Seven year olds knocking on a door at 2pm and then giggling and running off, that you can see through your window, to someone they know like a friends mom, ok. Fine. Fourteen year olds to unknown houses , in a pack, in the middle of the night ? No. And don’t pretend you don’t see the difference between these two “pranks”.

In the spectrum between 1 (Is your refrigerator running") and 10 (How is your husband doing after that terrible accident), this is a 1.1.

A pack of unknown teen males knocking on my door at 10pm and then hiding in my yard waiting for me to open the door, if I were home alone, would not be a 1.1

I feel like you are unclear on the "ditch" part of this scenario.

LOL that PP is a ding dong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

It’s not helicopter parenting to have basic respect for your neighbors, and all of those nighttime activities you described can be done on your own property. This “age appropriate” line of argument falls flat - it’s rude behavior and it’s not justified just because they are boys.

Yes, it's rude behavior. Kids try out rude behavior sometimes. Do you think with perfect parenting children behave perfectly until they're adults? The answer is NO. Growing up is a process. It's normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

It’s not helicopter parenting to have basic respect for your neighbors, and all of those nighttime activities you described can be done on your own property. This “age appropriate” line of argument falls flat - it’s rude behavior and it’s not justified just because they are boys.

Yes, it's rude behavior. Kids try out rude behavior sometimes. Do you think with perfect parenting children behave perfectly until they're adults? The answer is NO. Growing up is a process. It's normal.

Everyone makes mistakes and I’m sure these teens have learned their lesson after the embarrassment of having to tell their parents about the cops getting involved. That doesn’t make parents who have the good sense not to allow a pack of 8th graders to head out at 10 pm in the first place “insane helicopter parents”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

It’s not helicopter parenting to have basic respect for your neighbors, and all of those nighttime activities you described can be done on your own property. This “age appropriate” line of argument falls flat - it’s rude behavior and it’s not justified just because they are boys.

Being rude is also she appropriate, you’re being rude right now do where did your parent go wrong. They probably never let you explore on your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

It’s not helicopter parenting to have basic respect for your neighbors, and all of those nighttime activities you described can be done on your own property. This “age appropriate” line of argument falls flat - it’s rude behavior and it’s not justified just because they are boys.

Yes, it's rude behavior. Kids try out rude behavior sometimes. Do you think with perfect parenting children behave perfectly until they're adults? The answer is NO. Growing up is a process. It's normal.

Everyone makes mistakes and I’m sure these teens have learned their lesson after the embarrassment of having to tell their parents about the cops getting involved. That doesn’t make parents who have the good sense not to allow a pack of 8th graders to head out at 10 pm in the first place “insane helicopter parents”.

It’s only 10pm it’s light out until 9

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^and I wouldn’t think anything of them going out at 10pm. It wouldn’t occur to me they would ding dong ditch.

The the PP. I would. What would they possibly be up to at 10 pm outside that isn’t trouble? I wouldn’t allow it. If they want to hang out outside at 10pm, they can stay on the patio and around the yard. Not roam around the neighborhood

OP here. I guess in my mind walking to the park (basically a small little pocket park) half a block a way at 10 pm is not roaming. Again, it is on me for thinking they would just do that and I should have kept a closer watch. I will be honest and say that I tend to approach things like this from a POV of letting kids feel some sense of freedom and fun rather than one of constant suspicion. These kids didn't warrant concern in that way. That is on me, yes. Honestly, I was just glad they were not cooped up in his room gaming. Now I know better.

I'm in my 50s and was, as were all my friends, free range kids. My parents had no idea where I was during the day. Yet, the rule for us and all the kids I hung out with were that we had to be home by dark. In the summer time where I grew up, that was about 9PM. Just why do you think that was? Even in the 'good old days', our parents knew nothing good came of young teens being out after dark. I can't believe your naiveté and poor judgment.

80s kid. We always had to be home when the street lights came on.

This has zero to do with free range parenting.

How did you hunt for nightcrawlers before dark? How did you catch lightning bugs before dark?

Lightning bugs are best caught at dusk and worms in the morning after rain.

Not nightcrawlers.

How about flashlight tag?

These kids weren’t playing flashlight tag. And they’re almost in high school. If your teenage son and his friends say they’re heading out to play flashlight tag after the adults go to bed, I have a bridge to sell you.

Our kids play man hunt, capture the flag, hunt for night crawlers, flashlight tag, hide and seek… etc at night.

Y’all are insane helicopter parents.

And really if they are kissing at the park or ding dong ditching I’m not going to lose my sh!t because it’s age appropriate.

Yes they are almost in HS, next year they will be going to parties and football games and dinner after dark and I won’t be able to track their every move.

It’s not helicopter parenting to have basic respect for your neighbors, and all of those nighttime activities you described can be done on your own property. This “age appropriate” line of argument falls flat - it’s rude behavior and it’s not justified just because they are boys.

Yes, it's rude behavior. Kids try out rude behavior sometimes. Do you think with perfect parenting children behave perfectly until they're adults? The answer is NO. Growing up is a process. It's normal.

You and others don't seem to understand that there's a difference between "normal" or common and appropriate or acceptable. Just because pre-teen boys are generally idiots doesn't mean that behavior like this should be waved off with a "boys will be boys". It's okay to condemn the commonplace.

[Anonymous]

I’m not getting the impression that anyone thinks it’s OK.

There just seems to be a disagreement on the level of “badness” it is and the consequences it warrants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People used to get their houses and trees "rolled" when I was a teen. It usually was a sign that there was an attractive teenage girl living there.

I still see houses TP's every now and then. Teenagers do stupid s***. Always have, always will.

The girls rolled our house all the time because my brother was the 'hottest' guy in school...grosses me out to type that, but Senior girls used to give me a ride to school my Freshmen year to try to get access to him.