After reading the comments for the previous post, chana leah, karma dude and berel all agree on an interesting point. All this talk of AT RISK kids is giving kids ammunition to either a-get what they want cuz they now hold the power in the relationship. - they know their parents' weak spot and can take advantage of it. to quote chana leah " you wont buy me an ipod- I'm throwing off my yarmulka"
b- they know there are others like them, and there is strength in numbers. according to some accounts I read of doin's upstate, crowds of kids gathering to do bad stuff, and a few cops and rebbeim couldnt stop them. this gave them power -they know nobody can stop them.
we are feeding them excuses so they can parrot it back to their parents, blame everyone else for their actions.

Maybe we shouldnt try to be so soft with the kids all the time. Once in a while tell them like it is - HELL is HOT. They need to make choices, and knowing the full story may help them make the right ones.