Clubbing and Teenager

This topic is more for parents with older kids.

I wrote this article – Generation Gap – in June about this very issue. But today, I am going to delve a bit deeper and I hope you will be able to help me fill in the gaps. I still have not resolved my understanding about clubbing and teenagers.

This issue really provokes a lot of thoughts. I am trying hard to understand and to remain neutral about it.  I know I belong to generation X and I was born outside of Australia. So I was brought up differently, have different values and beliefs to my children’s generation and have different judgement and interpretation of situations.

I know my judgement about this topic, and my conflict about clubbing…so today; I am going to ask your help to fill in the gaps of my understanding… 

What am I not understanding about clubbing?

Questions:

Have I been clubbing? Yes.

Do I like it? No!

Reasons:

It is not a venue for communication – literally I can’t hear a single thing in the club, except very loud and headache causing music. Everyone has a drink (alcohol) in their hand – why? I think because everyone has one, so …?

I am grateful that my children only participate in clubbing once in a blue moon. There are stories of teenagers mingling with alcohol and drunkenness, teenagers lying drunk on the street, and stories of pushing your way through big strong bouncers as you enter the club.

But how do I know all the above? Because my husband and I will most of the time head down to the city to pick up our children very early in the morning. And when we could not find parking close by, I had to be dropped outside the pub to wait for them, standing next to the bouncers, enduring the stench of alcohol and the noise of loud music.

I witnessed some teenagers staggering out of the club, trying to find their footing – drunk, and a few lying along the footpath, whether waiting for their parents to pick them up or for the train or bus home.

My question to my children is WHY? Why these venues? What do you gain from this activity? Why not catch up in other venues like cafes, restaurants, parks, or even better -volunteering for a cause?

What is it that I do not understand?

Please fill in the gaps…and if you have the same issues, please post your concern ro your thoughts via Facebook and let’s get a discussion going.

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