>Ok so first it was the smoking ban, now it’s the underage drinking in my own house ban…oh brother! Do you really want to live in a world were everything you do in your life is regulated by the same Village Hall that has a plumbing problem? Folks the more responsibility you are willing to give up the less personal freedom you will have to exercise.
It seems no matter what you do, it is guaranteed to offend somebody. So first its NO smoking, then its NO drinking, NO talking, NO smiling, NO religion, NO Parking, NO fishing, NO Swimming, NO Dancing, NO swearing, No Driving, NO fun yes absolutely NO FUN.
Sorry but I am not going to let this government or any other run my life for me. They have demonstrated by there actions that they are singularly unqualified. I will exercise my personal responsibility and run my own life thank you comrade and be prepared to take the consequences for my actions. I suggest everyone start acting like grown ups ,you might actually like it.
PJ
>Hey PJ, I hear your concern but as a parent of a High Schooler this is geared more towards the folks who allow other kids to party with thier own kids in thier home.
Also the folks who leave thier teenagers alone for a weekend with access to a full bar.
I don’t think this is about limiting parental rights to have a child toast his Grandma’s Birthyday.
>Anonymous 6:31…what makes you think you know what this ordinance is geared to or how it will be enforced????
You don’t!!! PJ is right on this. We need less government in our lives, not more.
>Yes… You’re right. Yet another pearl of wisdom from a Ridgewood parent. Lots of comments about Big Government, but they come from the same citizens who are too lazy to bring their own trash to the curb. Our tax dollars hard at work so you dont have to drag that garbage pail to the street or walk to a mailbox.
>you vote for thses idiots and your KIDS GET SCREWED!
>I’m so confused by these comments…what is the reference to bringing trash to the curb? Are you saying you are for or against the ordinance? And to 8:21 — do you really think a 16 year old not being able to drink is being “screwed”? Interesting parenting…fine for you but not when my kid is visiting your house.
And to 8:19 — you can read many similar ordinances online, and Ridgewood’s would be based on these existing ordinances in other towns, especially those in Wyckoff and Fair Lawn. So that’s how someone might presume to know how ours would be geared…also, the presentation made to the village council did address how the ordinance’s proponents wanted it to be geared. I think it’s pretty clear so far…
It is sad that PJ and others use their strong just-plain-anti-government opinion to vilify what is a well-intentioned effort to help our kids. Let me say that I am against this ordinance (so far — the actual ordinance has not been written yet), however, I can see why it is being proposed. This has nothing to do with you or your kid having a beer in your own home. Concerned parents and others are trying to address a very real problem — the amount of dangerous binge-style drinking that is going on…It is happening MORE than when we were kids. Also, we now know more than we used to about the dangerous and irreversible effects of alcohol on the teen’s developing brain. These kids are hurting themselves permanently and to call that a “rite of passage” is ridiculous.
I’m just telling all this to try and give some perspective…there is a real problem out there (out here) and some adults are trying to find ways to address it. This is simply one of those attempts. It may not be right, or it may not be right for Ridgewood — but not because it’s not an important issue. Let’s just keep that in mind, please, and not get so sarcastic and flip in our responses…to equate underage binge drinking with fishing, swimming or dancing is insultingly disrespectful to the people who are only trying to help.
Hey, I have an idea, maybe YOU could try and help?
At the very least, I would like to see this issue create a real dialog in our community (about youth drinking, not about village hall or plumbing, etc.) Let’s try and find ways to reduce the harm that is being done to our kids.
>like I said BB time for parents to grow up and act like parents ,the goveremnt is not my mother and its no going to be.
I would suggest the BOE focus on improving the quality of the education and the village hall buy life boats instead of speanding all this energy budding in to other peoples business.
>”Concerned parents and others are trying to address a very real problem “…I agree with PJ concerned parents should be parents and stop trying to get the goverment to do your work for you ,if your a parent act like one ! and leave me and my kid alone!
>AND HAS THIS ORDINANCE IN THE OTHER TOWNS ACTUALLY STOPPED THE UNDERAGE DRINKING?
No.
And why do you need the government to control whether your kid goes to a home where they ALLOW underage drinking? Shouldn’t you exercise your parental responsibility and not allow that?
>BB it is always for the kids with folks like you. Parents are responible for their own children regardless of who’s home they may be in.
When I grew up we had parties all the time in High School. And guess what, we drank beer. Some even smoked pot. But heaven forbid our children actually do so.
The hubris of this double standard is amazing. My parents allowed us to have parties as did other parents.
The girls would ask my mom if it was ok to have a party after a football or basketball game on a Friday night and then would come to the house the next morning to clean.
All the parents knew where their children were. It was no secret. They knew their children were safe and not cruising up and down the blvd. while drinking.
Of course once in a while some one would drink too much. So, we made sure they did not drive and instead where driven home by some one sober.
It is called resposibility. And at 16, 17 and 18 our parents had instilled in us the sense of such responsibility. We didn’t need the government to be our “nanny.”
And here is the kicker, if the music was ever too loud, which was rare because it was usually turned down after 11pm, the police would simply come by and ask that we do so.
Teens will act responsibly when expected to do so. They are no differant than their parents. Some may abuse drink but the vast majority do not.
We can not protect them from themselves. At best we give them the moral foundations to make the right choices in life.
Just because other towns have given their police the right to violate the constitution doesn’t mean we should follow suit.
But hey, “it is for the kids” so, it must be OK.
>If you had read carefully you would see that I already said I’m against the ordinance. Sheesh.
Your nostalgia is truly heartwarming (especially the part about the girls throwing the parties and then coming back to clean up!). But you are really living in denial if you think what’s going on now is comparable to what we all did. Check the statistics. At a personal level, I pretty much parent my kids the way you are advocating…I trust them to be responsible, I know what they do, where and with whom. I teach them to be safe. I do not much care if alcohol crosses their lips — as long as they are safe.
I am not advocating for any legal remedy…just saying it looks like there’s a community-wide problem, that affects some kids more than others, but definitely all kids more than a generation ago, and asking what can/should we do about it? Of course it’s up to each parent to parent his kids, but at some level can’t we also discuss all kids, and work together to address these issues? I know, I’m a Polyanna sometimes, but seriously. This every man for himself approach isn’t healthy for a community.