The Woodlands--CONCERNS (please help) (Houston, Taylor: crime, home, neighborhoods)

[ConcernedCommunitMember]

I am greatly disturbed by the atmosphere and seemingly premonition surrounding teenagers here in The Woodlands. I have lived here since September of last year, and my husband and I were beginning to think we had found the perfect location to raise our children. However, I have recently been hearing about horiffic tragedies that seem to be befalling our community's teens. The most recent of these would have to be the stories of the Carpenter and Walker families. The fact that all 3 of these kids were recent graduates from The Woodlands High School is a very scary thing to me. Two suicides and one drunk driving accident from the same graduating class in less then a year after they left high school is more than I can imagine. What are parents in this town doing that allows their children get into such horrible situations??? The Story about the Zack Carpenter boy devistated me. I can't imagine having to identify one of my children's bodies on the side of a highway where they had decided to end their lives. In reference to the other family, I am sad that they lost both of their children in such a short period, but the fact that the parents could not keep either one of their children from shamelessly throwing their lives away is the most devistating factor. I was reading the tribute to them that was in this month's school paper when my oldest son brought it home with him, and both of these kids seemed like they had a lot going for them. Did they have nothing worth living for that could have stopped them from throwing their lives away so shamelessly? Do parents and other community members here in The woodlands not value the young people's lives? We should be doing more to stop these deaths.

[EasilyAmused]

Having lived in The Woodlands I can safely say that the teenage driving up there is horrible. Drunk or Not. Please really watch yourself going through lights and at four way stops. I often fell asleep to the sounds of teens lighting it up and dragging. Being from the city this way new to me. There isn't any place in Uptown to drag.

The Woodlands is OWNED by a corporation, therefore you live WITHIN a corporation. As to not reporting crime, the simply don't post it anywhere. Its bad publicity.A good place to look is The Chron.com. The Woodlands news, sports and events | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Its talks about the recent armed home invasions, recent the armed mugging at the mall, about how 39k was spent for a parking study instead of security,etc.
The Woodlands is much tamer than the city that's for sure, but the growth in population, the lack of a police force, the egomaniacal members that run the place are running straight towards a crisis IMHO.

How you parent your child will determine the outcome of their lives. That being said, The Woodlands isn't the most grounded place I've ever lived.

[ConcernedCommunitMember]

I firmly believe you should not be blaming the environment of The Woodlands for the accidents that occur. I did not have the privelage of knowing the Zach Carpenter boy, but I do have many friends and co-workers that are close with his parents, and who even have sons and daughters that were close with him...but there is no reason to believe what happened to his is The Woodlands fault. Neither is it the fault of his parents or family. Sometimes bad things just happen. In a community with as large of a population as we have, people are bound to die. Teenagers die in every community...whether it is named The Woodlands or not. Nor should we blame these kids themselves. In reference to the two siblings you mentioned, there names were Spencer and Taylor Walker. I have had the privelage of living down the street from their family for a total of 13 years, and not once did any member of their family or any member of The Woodlands in general do anything to them that would cause such a tragedy to occur. I had a daughter who greaduated in 2005 with one of their sons, and a son who graduated this past may and was GOOD friends with both Spencer and Taylor. I believe it would be hard for any parents to hand out facts or information about their child's death, especially if they were as filled with promise and potential as those two children were. I'm sure many factors contributed to Spencer making up his mind to do what he did, but I doubt that any one reason was just simply "The Woodlands", just like I'm sure it was not The Woodlands that caused his sister to get involved with drinking and driving or Zach to run away from home. I think both the Walker and the Carpenter family were too focused on losing their loved ones to print out booklets of death information to hand out to nosey community members. The fact that you seem to be saying that there is a "cover up" going on in The Woodlands when it comes to crime and teenage death is ridiculous. Kids are kids and they all make bad decisions and sometimes it is hard for us as parents to be everywhere our children are...especially when they are attending college. Losing his two good friends was hard enough on my son...I can only imagine what it would have been like for him if he had to read the story in the newspaper or have other people ask him countless questions about it if the community would have done what you seem to be suggesting. So yes, deaths do happen in The Woodlands..but this is nothing new. Death happens everywhere, and no place is to blame.

[Crazy TX Cowboy]

Yup! Teenage driving should be sorted out! But I think it's safe to say that Houston is the greatest city ever lol! Totally not being biased as i live here, but it's a great city with loads to do!

[Mom2Feebs]

Uh, what is goin' on here with this thread? I smell something funny... this thread has been reposted and the person known as "ConcernedCommunitMember" is now copying what a different poster (a new one as well) posted in the original thread that has disappeared...

I had a POV for the original poster, but now I'm just thinking...somethin' ain't right here.

[EasilyAmused]

Mom2, they were just trying to pull the convo over here so it didn't ruin the other thread. Its cool.

[Mom2Feebs]

No, there was another separate thread already made on this same subject within the past 30 minutes, and it has since disappeared. I tried to respond to it and it was gone.

[EasilyAmused]

Operating Company must have smelled it. LOL

[DrCloud]

Well... if I could chime in with my $0.02: I have lived in/near The Woodlands since 2005. I work at the edge of the Woodlands (242/College Park), and I "see" the parents of the Woodlands teens. Many are themselves depressed, over-worked, tired, suffering from other psycho-social issue, and living a life in "routine chaos". I agree with a previous post to not blame The Woodlands, per se.
I have witnessed what I term The Woodlands Lifestyle. This way of life lends itself to overt materalism, excess, and a spirit of superiority/entitlement. I have no issue with obtaining and possessing nice things;however, when the things possess and/or identify the person, there is an imbalance. This is where the problems arise- in the parents and children. The parents send the unspoken message that material wealth/items are more important than the substance of chararcter and personality. The kids are also given the false sense that the all others should cater to their every whim, request, and tantrum- since mom and dad does. And if/when their expectations are not met, the issues of drug use, truancy, and other deviant (but unreported) behavior occurs.
I absolutely love The Woodlands- the concept of, and the asthetics of...

I am convinced that parents need to work less and spend more time with the kids. We have become extremely material/carnal in our existence;we can't live with less it seems.
We all seem to want more than the neighbors- or feel like we have more. Our livestyle, especially The Woodlands Lifestyle is much too expensive!! Our lives, friendships, psychological health, and children are paying- literally with their lives.

[EasilyAmused]

Great first post Dr. Cloud. I agree. The Woodlands lifestyle wouldn't be so expensive if the residents knew what the true responsiblity in having money is really all about. It certainly isn't about being torn up about what Susie has, and financing yourself to the hilt to get it too.
I don't think the place started out that way.