Love of Enid Blyton

[Belly]

Thanks Boodi, and Petermax that's interesting what you say about Japan.

Here in Singapore a 17 year old ran away from his hostel (he was doing National Service) with a loaded gun. He took it to show some friends and he has just been sentenced to 9 years (which will mean 9 years) and a caning. Not sure of the full details but I can't imagine the same punishment happening in the UK.

Some say that young people go off the rails as they have no sense of community, family and there is no love in their lives.

[Lucky Star]

The culture of "instant gratification" has taken hold here in the UK. There is no longer any thought of saving up for something, finally buying it and then treasuring it. I am reminded of Cyril in the Six Cousins books who saved for a wireless and a dictionary. Many of todays kids would just borrow the money with no thought to paying it back. This culture has led to a situation where nothing has any real value and is no sooner acquired than it is tossed aside in favour of the next thing. This lack of value has permeated down to other peoples property as well. walls, hedges, parks etc are vandalised just to provide a brief "thrill".

I have no idea what the solution is either. Stiffer deterrants are a must I think. We have somehow got to get back to holding people to account for their actions. Of course the breakdown in the traditional family structure is not helping; i read that many kids now regard their gangs as substitutes for the family life they dont get at home.

[Pippa-Stef]

Personally I see it as a family unit, mainly parents as not having set proper boundaries. No real punishment is given at home.

I'm not going to get started because I will actually get out my sociology notes and write an entire passage on it, and of course, being in that age bracket which causes the most amount of trouble, I would have to defend myself as being one of the ones, who would rather read a book than go out, and would never dream of vandalising anything that didn't belong to me. Boundaries are what i see the issue as.

If a child comes into school age Five with no boundaries set by parents the school's will not inforce boundaries. They don't see it as their job, so the kid is left with punishment's which he (Generally) does not know why he has recieved it, because he's never been taught right from wrong.

You can't do anything about the break up of marriages and families, but no one will do anything in that situation because they will link it back to the child playing up because of the upset at home.

Sorry! I'll stop. But the last thing I will say is that, and I'm not trying to defend the minority, (because that's what they are) no boundaries, broken homes and raging hormones are all reasons why we in Britian now have a yob culture.

There done!

Sorry!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I read that many kids now regard their gangs as substitutes for the family life they dont get at home.

Enid Blyton demonstrates that very well in The Six Bad Boys when she shows boys from inadequate homes seeking companionship and respect from belonging to a gang. They refer to the cellar where they meet as "a home from home" and Bob stares compulsively into lighted living-room windows as he passes them on dark winter nights, longing to be part of a caring family. Having goals in life, and hope for the future, are important too. If young people feel that society is against them, and have nothing to aim for, I think they're more likely to rebel or simply not care what they do. As Lucky Star said, people like that don't appreciate the value of anything - even human life in some cases.

Stiffer deterrants are a must I think. We have somehow got to get back to holding people to account for their actions.

Yes, I'd agree with that. Individuals have to realise that they are responsible for their own behaviour. It's no good people being sorry for themselves if they've had it tough, and trying to use that as an excuse. There will be plenty of others who had it just as tough but made the best of things and didn't resort to anti-social behaviour.

Anita

[Moonraker]

Personally I see it as a family unit, mainly parents as not having set proper boundaries. No real punishment is given at home.....Sorry! I'll stop. But the last thing I will say is that, and I'm not trying to defend the minority, (because that's what they are) no boundaries, broken homes and raging hormones are all reasons why we in Britian now have a yob culture.

Sorry!

Stef, don't be sorry, for you have hit the nail on the head. I agree with every word you have said. Anita draws a comparison with Six Bad Boys, so apt.

Yet another fatal stabbing in London, yesterday, and still we have no automatic imprisonment for knife possession. With two sons living in London, we are in constant concern for their safety. I was amazed to see on last night's BBC Question Time, many people didn't think prison was the answer to this terrible crime.

More and more do I realise that we have lost the plot.

[Petermax]

Enid Blyton was perhaps way ahead of her time when she wrote The Six Bad Boys. Or could it be that youth unrest began to take place long before the arrival of pop culture in the UK during the mid 1950s? My father has told me many tales of life in the 1930's, some nasty events took place on the streets, but it was not mainstream as it is now. Miscreants were severely dealt with, even apple scrumpers did time in Reform Schools.

What is very common today are explosions of pure anger out on the streets. Only a few days ago I witnessed a man in his late twenties have a pathological outburst at his girlfriend in Fareham West Street. Ignoring her attempts to calm him down, he then challenged anyone who did so much as look in his direction to a fight.

There are people out there in their twenties and thirties who are carrying on like stroppy adolescents. I have witnessed other occasions of adults having temper tantrums in public, it's as if their parents have never nipped this in the bud during toddlerhood. There is no longer a brick wall to come up against, many now feel able to air their emotions publicly and without shame.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I totally agree with what I've been reading on this thread. Knife crime is out of control. I always wonder whether or not this country should bring back conscription. It would get the young teenagers off the street and put them in the right direction of what they'd like to do in life, training for a particular job maybe. Also if these youngsters have got a lot of built up aggression in them due to homelife, etc. then at least they could be taught properly how they can deal with their inner anger instead of using it on the street and harming the general public.

Just my tupenny worth.
Bring back the days of Enid Blyton

[Susie]

it's as if their parents have never nipped this in the bud during toddlerhood. There is no longer a brick wall to come up against, many now feel able to air their emotions publicly and without shame.

What can parents do if they are afraid to hit their kids least the kid dial Childline etc.

I was walking down the street and this little kid was talking to her mum and she said " May I pull this wild flower for my dried flower collection?" It warmed the heart to hear how nicely and politely she spoke to her mother.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

Earlier this evening I listened to this Radio 4 programme about Character. Blyton had a lot to say about forming character - it made interesting listening.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/a ... 499333.stm" target="_blank

Later I watched a programme called Cotton Wool Kids who are the oposite of feral kids. A 13 yr old described homelife as being like a constant detention, since he was never allowed out.

This is not a good time to be a kid in the UK

Viv

[Moonraker]

This is not a good time to be a kid in the UK

This has been said by old people throughout the centuries.

[Lucky Star]

But it does appear to have particular accuracy these days.

[Petermax]

I couldn't agree more about the state of childhood today. Back in the 1970's (here I go again!) I was given an enormous amount of freedom, I could roam the local countryside, use the trains and buses and have access to items such as catapults, pen knives, sheath knives, matches and even methylated spirits. (don't ask!) One thing I could not do though was answer back or be late for mealtimes. My parents were products of the 20's and 30's, they were very strict about that sort of thing!

The only downside that I really remember had to be Sundays, one was not permitted to make any noise in the street and the only shops that opened were the newsagents, usually in the mornings. How the day used to drag.

By way of comparison, my younger niece has only just been allowed out unaccompanied from the confines of her cul-de-sac at the grand old age of ten, subject to a fully charged mobile being with her at all times.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

The most chilling aspect of the programme was the mother who was prepared to have her daughter "chipped" so that a satelite could track her every move. This same mother had, whilst driving to a shopping mall, pointed out every "stranger" on the way, ie everyone who wasn't mum, dad, or grandad.

How is this child going to relate to the rest of society when she is older? She could never be a Find-Outer and interview a prospective suspect!

Viv

[Moonraker]

The only downside that I really remember had to be Sundays, one was not permitted to make any noise in the street and the only shops that opened were the newsagents, usually in the mornings. How the day used to drag.

Oh, I don't know - to me that was the special joy of Sundays - it was such a different day to the other six.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Let's not forget that Sunday was actually 'the day of rest'. People walked in the park, walked in the country side, listened to bands. There was no shops open. If you ran out of anything it was your fault for not remembering to buy it the day before, when on Saturdays, everyone would go into the town to shop.

There used to be Sunday School, and Walking Days. Today Sunday is no different from any other day of the week. Even the shops are open.