Teen Violence

[Todd V. Harris]

I think that maybe we have forgotten how much trouble this generation of teens are in really. In my line of work, I have seen young people killed by other teenagers. One of them, I dedicated my book too. I do not believe that our teenagers have enough role models. I remember being a kid and going out riding my bike with my friends on Christmas day. Now when I ride around on any day, even Christmas, I rarely see children playing outside and enjoying the day. I do see a lot of adults riding bikes. I guess our children are more in to PS3 and XBox's. This needs to change. Tell me what you think and how we can change this situation..........

[Taze]

I understand what what you are saying about teen violence. Just so that you are aware, I have written three programs on teen violence, which can easily be converted to written books, they were written in the effort to get them realised by some of our politicians. Before I add my valuable comment, I would like you to understand that I have been working on these programs for more than 13 yrs collectively.

In response to your TEEN VIOLENCE: Firstly, teen violence is a social problem, not a direct anger thing. Our youths fight for social acceptance or social wants and these social complexities are eventually mirrors of anger.
2) Role models for youth, our youth's role models are friends/people who pose to understand their very problems and these people eventually have the power to swiftly win our vulnerable youth/s to a life of distruction, violence, negative habbits or maybe even positive lifestyle behaviour.
3) Young children playing PSP / XBOX - I bought my kid an xbox a week after he waited for about 3-4hrs to play with his cousins ps2, on that day I realised #1 the anguish of every child, further #2 not having one to play with and #3 the stresses related to kids social pressures.
This is a good time to reflect, so lets all LOOK back to when you were a kid, overall times have changed, when I was a kid I would run 5 miles for just 10 cents, in todays world try make a child run 1km for a R2?
Sadly, the crimes are more violent and the pedeophiles (under-age sex offenders) are on the prowl for younger and better victims. Q? Do I need to have my children playing on the streets A? No.

Kind Regards, Taze

[Pat]

We need to fight for the minds of teenagers, to get their attention and motivate them to take advantage of the many opportunities available to them.

This book may help:

Genes for Teens by Dr NP Khumalo
A beautifully illustrated book, written in the voice of a story teller, makes genetics a child's play. From a simple explanation of where the jeans we wear come from and their history, the author cleverly introduces genes and their many teen-relevant-effects (including pregnancy, acne, smelly underarms). The book also discusses why the texture of our hair and color of our skin is different - even how this may have evolved! The latter will help teenagers understand the fuss about the '2009 Darwin 200' celebrations. More importantly the book not only informs but challenges teenagers to aspire for high goals. A scientific book that also motivates - you bet! A proudly South African book with universal appeal.

Review 1
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2008/october/genesbook.htm

Review 2
By Francisco J. Ayala, Professor of Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, 2001 US National Medal of Science Laureate, and author of Darwin's Gift to Science and Religion
"Genes for Teens is a remarkable book. In 80 short pages Dr. Nonhlanhla Khumalo conveys a lot of valuable information about genes and genetics, about human reproduction and the danger of infections diseases, such as AIDS, and about the futility of defining human races by the color of their skin. (Why not by the shape of their earlobes?) Dr. Khumalo writes clearly in an engaging, light-hearted style, and with a pervasive touch of humor. Her style will be quite attractive to teenagers, who are the
reading population she targets. The illustrations, all in color, are lively, beautiful and informative. If my children were now teenagers (rather than the overgrown adults that they are), I would surely give them Genes for Teens to read, and I am sure they would love it and thank me for it and they would have learned a lot about genetics and other biology, without being aware of how much they had learned. A wonderful little book!"