Is anyone else bothered by the group of teenagers in Goose Green playground?

[theron]

I'm a local childminder in the area, and often take the 3 boys I child mind to the playground at Goose Green.

Since taking the boys to the playground, I've been aware of a group of teenagers (boys and girls) who must be no younger than around 14/15 who are in the playground most days (everyday that i've visited in fact). I've noticed that they don't show much concern for the other, much younger users of the playground, as they ride their bikes through the paths of wobbling toddlers, curse, and sit on the equiptment preventing the use of it for others.

It's always bothered me as i've often thought 'haven't they got anything better to do?' until today, when I had enough. The youngest of the boys with me is very into football and brought his brand new football to the playground today to practice his goalkeeping skills and involve other kids in the playground in his football game. I saw the ball roll over to the group of teenagers (who were gathered to the left of the goal and on the climbing section on top) a few times, and instead of either leaving the ball or kicking it back to the boys, decided to kick it a few metres in the wrong direction. On the final time the ball rolled over to the boys, and without hesitation one of the boys picked up the ball and booted it into one of the nearby gardens, much to the amusement of his friends. The boys I was with looked defeated and turned to each other with a look of 'not knowing what to do' and one of them began to cry. I marched over there and fairly requested that they get the ball back. They looked at me, sniggered and returned to their phones. I then said that they behaviour they were showing was bullying and unfair, and if they didn't get the ball back i would be reporting them. At this point I walked away pretending to be on the phone, and they scarpered.

I was absolutely outraged and wondered if there was anything i could do? Or if anyone else is bothered by their presence or have had similar experiences?

Help please!

[KikiMac]

Sorry, no help or similar experiences, but just wanted to say well done for challenging them! Teenagers can be intimidating but they are just big kids after all and IMHO people are generally over cautious about confronting this kind of behaviour... Will keep an eye out for them myself and do the same if the need arises!

[aquarius moon]

Unfortunately there are always going to be groups of teenagers in playgrounds. They are bored through lack of work or nothing to do.

I'm sure they are not there every day so maybe just check it out first & if they are there, go somewhere else.

If you do encounter them again, might be a good idea to have a more positive rather than negative attitude:

Ask for their advice re: footballing skills if the ball runs into their territory. Do they know anything about goalkeeping? Ask what teams they support etc etc.

Always best to befriend rather than make enemies of if you feel threatened.

You never know, they might actually enjoy engaging rather than antagonising if it's just a case of having nothing better to do.

[Bellenden Belle]

Theron,

Yes - I know the group, and yes they are there every day.

I don't find them intimidating, just bored teenagers, hanging around with nothing to do except occasionally try and get off with one another.

The idea of asking them for their advice regarding footballing skills is a little naive quite frankly...

I think it's probably more of a reflection of a lack of decent youth club than anything else - not sure where we expect them to go to hang out. I don't think they are any worse than bored nonchalant teenagers from any other era, but I agree with Kikimac that you did well to challenge. My other half has done so about bad language previously and has got an apology before.

[jane1]

Im not sticking up for these teenagers and what they did was out of order and wrong, but there is nothing for teenagers to do, my 15 year is bored, he cant work his not old enough and his to old for the holiday camp and clubs that are going on in the area, i say this time and time and time again what is there for teenagers to do around here. The only youth club that was good at albrighton has closed down COs they couldn't get the funding.

[????]

a lack of decent youth club?...they've free bus travel around the greatest city in the world packed with free stuff to do.....maybe a lack of motivation and guidance too?

[StraferJack]

what quids said -

saying "nothing to do" and living in London is like a dictionary definition of "lack of imagination"

[CocoC]

>

> If you do encounter them again, might be a good

> idea to have a more positive rather than negative

> attitude:

>

> Ask for their advice re: footballing skills if the

> ball runs into their territory. Do they know

> anything about goalkeeping? Ask what teams they

> support etc etc.

>

> Always best to befriend rather than make enemies

> of if you feel threatened.

>

> You never know, they might actually enjoy engaging

> rather than antagonising if it's just a case of

> having nothing better to do.

Sorry, I find that utterly ridiculous.

[EDmummy]

I've not seen these boys but think they may well be the same cohort who've hung around the playground since they were quite young. A few years back, rather than appear mildly aggressive (not saying that you did) I engaged them in light conversation and they responded quite positively. A few years older now, they're probably much cockier. All I would say is try and remember what it was like when you were that age and talk to them in a way that you may have 'bothered' to respond to.

[keane]

And why should the op check if they are there & go elsewhere I they are? That's crazy. They kicked a ball belonging to a small child into someone's garden on purpose. That playground is clearly aimed at younger children, and if they are going to hang out there they could be nice to the smaller kids or as another poster said - get a bus to the southbank & do some skateboarding or something more positive.

[aquarius moon]

CocoC Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> >

> > If you do encounter them again, might be a good

> > idea to have a more positive rather than

> negative

> > attitude:

> >

> > Ask for their advice re: footballing skills if

> the

> > ball runs into their territory. Do they know

> > anything about goalkeeping? Ask what teams they

> > support etc etc.

> >

> > Always best to befriend rather than make

> enemies

> > of if you feel threatened.

> >

> > You never know, they might actually enjoy

> engaging

> > rather than antagonising if it's just a case of

> > having nothing better to do.

>

> Sorry, I find that utterly ridiculous.

Ridiculous? Why? Have you ever been in this situation CocoC? And if so, how did you react?

[CocoC]

Have I ever, as a teenager, deliberately upset a smaller child by hoofing his football out of a playground, then demonstrated a complete lack of respect to an adult who pulled me up on my petulant behaviour? No.

What he/ they did was rude and stupid. I don't see why we should be encouraged to be 'down with the kids' and pander to their ridiculous behaviour. You'll be telling me next that if I get mugged for my phone I should try and engage positively with the mugger by asking for their thoughts on the merits of O2 versus EE.

[Bellenden Belle]

I disagree.

A lot of kids that age have no idea what's available to them. I've done lots of community engagement programmes and working with that age the most common question you hear is 'how much? What do you mean it's free?". A lot of them can't imagine anything being given 'for free' and a lot of young people have already decided 'things are not for them' and exclude themselves.

I don't have any solutions but I do think having youth work on a local level rather than expecting kids to travel London clutching a copy of Time Out is more likely to be successful.

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> what quids said -

>

> saying "nothing to do" and living in London is

> like a dictionary definition of "lack of

> imagination"

[Sue]

CocoC Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You'll be telling me next that if I get mugged for

> my phone I should try and engage positively with

> the mugger by asking for their thoughts on the

> merits of O2 versus EE.

:))

[NewWave]

aquarius moon Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Unfortunately there are always going to be groups

> of teenagers in playgrounds. They are bored

> through lack of work or nothing to do.

> I'm sure they are not there every day so maybe

> just check it out first & if they are there, go

> somewhere else.

>

> If you do encounter them again, might be a good

> idea to have a more positive rather than negative

> attitude:

>

> Ask for their advice re: footballing skills if the

> ball runs into their territory. Do they know

> anything about goalkeeping? Ask what teams they

> support etc etc.

>

> Always best to befriend rather than make enemies

> of if you feel threatened.

>

> You never know, they might actually enjoy engaging

> rather than antagonising if it's just a case of

> having nothing better to do.

Utterly daft sugesstion, and very naive.

I believe that under 16's also get free swimming in the area-there is loads to do.

I grew up in the inner city (Near Marble arch) there were no youth clubs in the area..or at least none my friends and I wished to attend-But as a teen we went to museums,the park,camden lock, adventure playgrounds, etc etc...The last thing we would have wanted to do was hang around a kiddie playground.

I almost pity these teenagers their lack of imagination and adventure.

[melbourne groover]

Not sure if it is the same lot but had a really unpleasant encounter with a group of youngish teenagers (around 12-14ish) recently there. When they dropped rubbish at my feet in a fairly deliberate manner, I suggested they should put it in the bin but it quickly descended to the point where one of them in particular ,despite the fact I was with my two young children,called me a slut and suggested I should suck his c*ck, genuinely didn't engage to this level and at that point I walked away. Not suggesting I deserve more respect than anyone else but I was taken aback by the complete lack of respect for anyone. I was disconcerted enough to ring the safer neighbourhood team, left a message but not sure if it was ever registered.

[aquarius moon]

.

[ultraburner]

They shouldn't be hanging around in a playground with that sort of attitude though aquarius; its there for young children.

Agree with quids.

[JDR]

Safer neighbourhood team?

[Callie]

JDR Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Safer neighbourhood team?

http://content.met.police.uk/Team/Southwark/EastDulwich

[Otta]

I'm with Quids and SJ. I never went to a youth club (I wouldn't have been seen dead in one quite frankly), but I never would have sat around bored in a kids playground either.

[alice]

the world has changed - teenagers now don't stray far from home. they are there because it's safe and free.

[Otta]

Safe? Really? My God they need to grow a set.

[Alan Medic]

A playground? It's for kiddies.

[alice]

sexist crap

response- you haven't got a clue