Today's Teens

So Friday night,
Friday night, we had 100 teens show up to the YMCA Fifth Quarter event. The event was meant for kids in middle school but of course some kids on both sides of the age spectrum showed up. I don't necessarily mind if kids show up who aren't exactly in middle school, but the guys with tattoos, beards, and balding heads probably stretch the age limit. So how do we stop that? I dunno...they tell us they're 14 when they come in, but when no parent shows up to pick them up, they suddenly pull our car keys and say they can get themselves home. What to do?

Then we have the kids who are the right age, but try not to have their parents find out where they are. As many times as some of them come, they never seem to have a ride home. Not only do they not have a ride, they try to hide that fact from us. Of course we also have the kids show up who are high and what are we supposed to do about that? We don't see them do it, just kind of suspect that's the case.

100 middle school teens on a Friday night after a football game are crazy. They are out of control, out of line, and out of their mind (literally)...but we still love them and they still need us. Let's hope we can continue to find ways to reach them and influence them through these chaotic events!