What is the Biggest Danger to Children and Teens?

[Artegal 1]

Seems a lot of attention on this whole MySpace.com ####### and how dangerous it is to children and teens, so what's the real deal?

[rasmussen 0]

I don't understand how they can blame the internet or a specific site. The number one threat to kids in my opinion is absent parents and their own stupidity.

[Nessa 23]

Illicit/Illegal Drugs, Tobacco and Alcohol. They're everywhere, I think that's the biggest problem. If the question were what's the worst problem I'd say Child Abuse, Assualts, Rape and Date Rape. I also blame the parents for most of the danger because of the lack of conversation, teaching, parenting and discipline, it's necessary to be present and interested in the kid's lives, if you can't do that, there's no need to have kids. There're several ways of birth control nowadays, if you decide to be a parent, BE A PARENT.

[I'm Gone 60]

Global warning, fast foods, second hand smoke or at least that what the new reports keep telling me.

[Jenn! 918]

Other. The biggest danger to kids is bad parents!

[I'm Gone 60]

Other. The biggest danger to kids is bad parents!

or no father

[Cristy 4]

I am worried about it all.....very soon I will have 3 teenage boys, well 4 actually because Casey already has one.

It is all concerning. And absolutely the fatherless epidemic has a great deal to do with it.

[Kobayashi 0]

Oh God. All of them!! I agree with the bad parent comment. I think with so many families having both parents at work, the easy option is to stick your kid in their room with the computer and God knows who they are talking to. But it's a parents job to monitor these things. Saying that I have two girls and all of the above scare the ####### out of me!!!

I have also stopped watching the new because that just scaremongers people

Great topic!!!

[chri'stina 190]

It's a mixture in my opinion...because sometimes no matter how great parents are, does not mean their child will grow up to be "perfect".

In my opinion peer pressure has a lot to do with stuff, as I see it everytime someone I knew since they were a baby turns into a teenager, and whoever they are hanging with influences them a lot. Maybe they aren't taught how to be individuals. You have to have good will power these days to avoid certain activities if all your friends are doing it. If kids/teens have friends who aren't doing drugs, etc then I think it's less likely they'd start it. I only say this from the many lives I've watched...from childhood to teen years and seeing how everyone handles it. Who they were around played a big role in how they changed.

Edited June 27, 2006 by stina&suj

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It depends on where the kid lives and what his/her lifestyle is. For many kids, gangs are #1 and #2 and #3 on the top dangers list. For many kids, gangs are just somethign they see on TV. Short answer: it all depends.

When I was growing up (say ages 10 to 17), the biggest threat to my safety was street violence, non-gang related.

[Jaylen Brit 0]

I agree with AS - it depends.

[iceyspots 0]

yup.. gotta go with the bad parents thing

[sparkofcreation 0]

The greatest danger? Ineffective parents. Always has been and always will be. If a child has really good parents, the risks of all the rest drop exponentially.

First runner-up is probably poverty.

[I'm Gone 60]

VJ Polls. LOL

[almaty 19]

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