Rant of the New Year...

I have just finished reading an article in today's Leader Post about "Anti-gang plans need(ing) work". It talked about "strategies to reduce the abundance of gang activity" for at-risk youth like "substance abuse programs, education programs and alternative sentencing measures for criminal offences". It also addressed problems with "agencies that sometimes they have trouble co-ordinating and communicating openly with other agencies because of privacy concerns" and this causes "a duplication of services, making such programs less efficient than they could be". It was suggested that a "governmentally regulated information sharing policy" could help solve this problem. It goes on to talk about how "organized sports could help keep children out of gangs" and blah blah blah. There is always going to be "gangs" as long as kids are kids. You can't force them into programs to make them act "good". Being a kid is about growing up and part of that process (for most of us) includes rebelling. You might be able to "trick" a child into doing what you would like to see them doing BUT they can be smart and will soon figure it out. That can lead them into hating everything you were trying to direct them into and rebelling more. How kids act is only part of the problem, we need to look at how we act and treat them a bit more like how people should act. No deception or lying, no patronizing. Don't tell them what to do, offer advice if they need it and be there for them if they need you. Treat them how everyone should be treated!