Skip to content

Involving our youth in meaningful causes

As the day of media coverage in Boston unfolded, it left me with many questions, thoughts and feelings.

As the day of media coverage in Boston unfolded, it left me with many questions,  thoughts and feelings.

In the end, I’m just thinking about being 19 years old.... For sure my four children did and said things, were influenced by people, the media, social media, peers I did not know about, went places they never told me, ate, drank and inhaled things I did not know about, laugh about pranks and stunts and dares, climbed and drove places they should not have been ... put themselves and possibly others at life-and-death risks, changed their thinking in ways I do not understand, made decisions, and life-changing moments.... That is what 19 year olds do.

As for me... I wanted to be part of a “cause”, participate in something great and noble and wide... This is what 19 year olds seek.

Meanwhile, 19 year olds also shut off their parents and other stable support from mature adults and guides.

I just feel so sad that, again, youth are the ones we are looking at as the bad guys.

What can we do locally to involve our 19 year olds in meaningful causes? Exciting adventures? Support and guidance from our Elders? How they would thrive if they could mentor with young adults just a few years older?

Eleanor Deckert

Avola, B.C.