Even though I grew up within a short drive of the largest city in Canada, I still remember being a teenager and a friend complaining that there was “nothing to do”. Teens are at that in-between age, when they want more freedom and novelty, but don’t always make the best choices. 

So, I think we as a community need to take responsibility for keeping our kids out of trouble by helping them find things to do. This might mean hanging out more as a family — game nights, volunteering, traditions. (Think your teens don’t want to spend time with you? Think again.) It could mean encouraging them to join service clubs or groups such as Guiding or Scouting. Maybe we create more youth drop in centres. There doesn’t always have to be adult supervision, but having adults present is a way to build bridges and provide support when teens need it.

Keeping our kids out of trouble means connecting them to our communities and providing them with opportunities to be themselves, really listening to what they’re saying.

What do you think?