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Kids get 'malled'
When I was a kid they called us “townies.” We hung out on street corners. When we got our driver’s licenses, we drove around town, trying desperately to look as cool as possible.
Of course, that was when gas was selling for 50 cents a gallon and you and your buddies could ride around all Saturday night on a couple dollars of gas. Today, you can’t fill up your lawn mower for that.
I suppose today’s counterpart would be called “mall rats.” That’s what kids do. Instead of hanging out on the corner, they congregate at the mall.
But starting tonight in Delaware, they’re going to have some company – their parents. Or they will have to find a new spot to try to look cool.
That’s because Christiana Mall tonight will become the first shopping mall in the region to institute something of a curfew.
From 5 p.m. to closing, teens under 18 will need to be accompanied by a parent on Friday and Saturday nights.
The mall is serious about this, and will apparently have security guards checking the doors. Imagine that, being carded as you enter the mall.
This has been sparked by complaints about the large groups of unsupervised kids hanging out.
A Christiana Mall spokesman said a similar plan is in place at some 50 shopping centers across the nation. But for now they’re the only one with such a policy in this area. But apparently he has gotten lots of calls – and support – from other regional malls that will be watching closely to see how the new plan goes over.
It’s not going over all that well with kids. One group already is planning a boycott of the facility. I don’t think that’s going to work.
Most kids go to the mall for the precise reason of getting out of the house – and out from under their parents’ watchful eyes – if only for a few hours. And it seems to me that lots of parents actually like the idea of dropping the kids off at the mall. At least they know where they are.
Now kids and parents have a choice. Do they all go to the mall together, or do kids find another place to hang out?
One thing’s for certain. I don’t think they’re going back to riding around town in their cars? Who has that kind of money?
Then again, if I know anything about kids, that might be preferable to strolling the local mall with mom and dad.
Of course, that was when gas was selling for 50 cents a gallon and you and your buddies could ride around all Saturday night on a couple dollars of gas. Today, you can’t fill up your lawn mower for that.
I suppose today’s counterpart would be called “mall rats.” That’s what kids do. Instead of hanging out on the corner, they congregate at the mall.
But starting tonight in Delaware, they’re going to have some company – their parents. Or they will have to find a new spot to try to look cool.
That’s because Christiana Mall tonight will become the first shopping mall in the region to institute something of a curfew.
From 5 p.m. to closing, teens under 18 will need to be accompanied by a parent on Friday and Saturday nights.
The mall is serious about this, and will apparently have security guards checking the doors. Imagine that, being carded as you enter the mall.
This has been sparked by complaints about the large groups of unsupervised kids hanging out.
A Christiana Mall spokesman said a similar plan is in place at some 50 shopping centers across the nation. But for now they’re the only one with such a policy in this area. But apparently he has gotten lots of calls – and support – from other regional malls that will be watching closely to see how the new plan goes over.
It’s not going over all that well with kids. One group already is planning a boycott of the facility. I don’t think that’s going to work.
Most kids go to the mall for the precise reason of getting out of the house – and out from under their parents’ watchful eyes – if only for a few hours. And it seems to me that lots of parents actually like the idea of dropping the kids off at the mall. At least they know where they are.
Now kids and parents have a choice. Do they all go to the mall together, or do kids find another place to hang out?
One thing’s for certain. I don’t think they’re going back to riding around town in their cars? Who has that kind of money?
Then again, if I know anything about kids, that might be preferable to strolling the local mall with mom and dad.
posted by Heron's Nest at
7:35 AM
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