Teenage Drivers

Freedom At Sixteen
At the age of sixteen most teenagers want the freedom of having their license. When a teenager is given such a freedom it tends to go to their head. At the age of sixteen till they graduate or before graduation a teenager is not responsible enough to have the freedom of going wherever they want, when ever they want. This freedom is just a distraction from what they need to be focused on.
I have seen in my own experience that most teenagers are more concerned about where they are going when the school day is over than what they are learning in school. The most important thought that should be in a teenager's mind is their high school career. The freedom of having a car and license is a great responsibility that most can’t handle.
According to the Manhattan Institution only 71 percent of students graduate. The National Center of Education Statistics finds that only 86 percent of students graduate high school. This is a little higher but it is still low. What happened to “No Child Left Behind”?
There are so many distractions for teenagers like alcohol and drugs. Having such a freedom of driving doesn’t need to be added to the list of distractions. Not having the freedom of driving would help parents control their children and better them in the long run.
By Wendy

Pets In or Out??

Pets inside or out?
There are a lot of different opinions on the subject of whether a dog or cat or any other pet for that matter should be inside a house. My argument is, it’s my house and I will have anything in it I want to.
I have to listen to a lot of sarcastic comments about cat hair. My sister Mary for one, sometimes hurts my feelings over this issue. She says sometimes when she has a meal at my house, she worries about getting a cat hair in her food. I tell her no one, to the best of my knowledge has ever died from swallowing a cat hair.
I consider myself an excellent housekeeper, so it really is not an issue. If your house were not kept clean I can see where there would be a problem.
Some people love their pets as much as they love other people, so I think you should be more considerate of everyones feelings when giving your opinion on this subject.
And you always should remember that a pet might be the only companion some people have in their lives.
My side of the argument is I truly love my pet, so butt out! Your side of the argument is the mess and the smell, so I say, “clean your house”!
P.S. This is a pet peeve of mine, so bear with me please.

Teenagers and Jobs

Should You Let Your Teenager Have An After School Job?
By Jeannie

My daughter is seventeen years old. She insisted on having an after school job. As a parent I was concerned about several things concerning this. I was worried about grades and homework. My husband was worried about her driving late at night. He and I sat down and discussed every detail. We decided that our daughter was mature enough to handle a job plus school.

I have had people tell my daughter and I that having an after school job at this point in her life is crazy. She needs to prepare for college. I have had other people tell me that an after school job is a great idea. It will teach her about life and how to manage her money. I have to agree with the second opinion. Since she began working and going to school, she has learned how to manage her time to study and manage the money she earns. I think this will carry over into her college life.