Rethinking Youth Activities

Myleatta Wilson
Graduate
Osborn University High School

I can remember being young during the summer time and having absolutely nothing to do. I would constantly nag my mother if we could go somewhere, knowing that she was busy doing something in our home. She had told me before that she had somewhere for me to go and something for me to do but it wasn’t really something I wanted to do.

Frequently this happens all the time with almost every parent of a child that just seems to have nothing to do at home. But when the parents’ overlooks what their child truly wants to do they become upset at the actions that come about when the child falls into trouble.

The activities that children participate in when out in the streets or hanging with their friends are surly not the same as they were about three years ago. When playing outside with my friends all day my mother had strict rules on exactly what I could and could not do. There was no playing in the street. I could not go inside anyone’s house unless she was aware of me visiting, and who was going to be there. I could not leave the block for any reason, if she couldn’t see me from her kitchen window I was in trouble. Lastly, I always had to be in the house before the streetlights, if not then I was definitely in trouble.

These rules were kind of harsh to me a couple years ago, but when I finally found out why they were in place I began to quickly understand why something so simple as coming home before it was dark was so important.

Over the last couple months there have been various crimes committed in the Detroit area, most of them occurring after dark where there are little to no lighting in certain Detroit areas. As I’ve stated before my mother warned me about coming home before the streets lights come on, she stated that there are many things that go on at night that I know nothing about and should never be apart of. Many crimes are happening at night especially the gun violence crimes. It’s dark, late, and not too many people outside to view everything that’s going on.

Too many of your young teens are being taken due not just to being victims of gun violence but also to being out late. We are not sure of what exactly it is that is keeping these teens out late but for some reason they are and the results of them being out late are not acceptable. Through the teachings of my mother, there is no reason to be out late at night except if theirs an emergency. Yes it’s cool to hang out a little late with your friends but its important to understand what happens when it gets dark outside.

I feel it’s important to always give a child and especially a teen something to do at anytime of the day. Finding activities on the internet or simply giving chores to do everyday at their homes gives them no excuse to be bored.

I want to see my peers make it in today’s world so let’s take the initiative to end our teens from being victims of gun violence by giving them something to do.