Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

Do you know where your children are? Years ago, this was the question that television stations asked at the end of a day’s programming. Today, there is no end to television viewing, but the question remains important for families. This attention-getting question made parents ponder where their minor children were at 10 p.m. If more parents today could answer this question, we would see less teen crime and violence.

Some teens, as young as 13 and 14, have committed recent violent acts in local communities. Where were their parents?
Did they know that their children were not at home and neither in bed nor preparing for bed? Who is caring for our young and protecting them? Who is providing the proper environment for their growth and development?

As a teen, my mother knew where I was every night. As my children grew, I knew where they were every night, and that was not a difficult task. I was being a responsible parent.

Although some parents allow their children to have certain freedoms, our children want and need us to put limits on their activities. They want curfews and bedtime routines. They want house rules that govern their whereabouts. They want us to care enough about them and their development to set boundaries. Boundaries provide a sense of well-being and security that indicate that someone cares about them. When we do not know where our children are, we are not providing that security and sense of well-being that each child deserves. By neglecting that responsibility, we release them to the world and the challenges of independence and adulthood without preparing them sufficiently to meet those challenges.

At 10:00 p.m., will you know where your children are?



Veda Pendleton McClain is a mother, grandmother, author, and educator. She recently released her second book on parenting titled, Your Presence Is Requested. It is available through www.amazon.com or at www.vedamcclain.com .