Would better parenting have stopped this girls death? (legally, teenagers, spanking)

[Blazah1080]

Teen girl dies in Redington Shores boating accident - Tampa Bay Times

She died and didn't have to.

I blame it on both the parents and the kid who obviously is showing the effects of what no spanking does to kids.. makes them ignore rules set in place (what 15 year old doesn't ask if he can take out his parents new 40,000 dollar boat?)

[maciesmom]

I missed the part of the article where the cause of death was lack of spanking by parents....?

[Blazah1080]

Originally Posted by maciesmom

I missed the part of the article where the cause of death was lack of spanking by parents....?

It is a big leap I admit.

[purehuman]

It was an accident...blame it on the parents if you want....I don't

[jasper12]

Supervision and saying no....this Mother should have asked who was driving the boat. She could have investigated this more...but so many parents don't want to be "mean".

The child was driving boat illegally....kills a person...and pays a fine!?! Wow. No charges, no juvenile detention..just pony up some bucks...life goes on. That makes me ill.

[Blazah1080]

I hardly call this an accident.

Keys should NOT have been available.

The kid "stole" the boat.
Was speeding in a no wake zone
Had NO experience in his families new boat..

It was stupidity and I do believe he needs to get charged, along with mom and dad..

The girls father said in an article "I just wish he had some more experience driving" and he knew that she was going on a boat, but didn't know 15 year olds were driving.

[Ivorytickler]

Originally Posted by jasper12

Supervision and saying no....this Mother should have asked who was driving the boat. She could have investigated this more...but so many parents don't want to be "mean".

The child was driving boat illegally....kills a person...and pays a fine!?! Wow. No charges, no juvenile detention..just pony up some bucks...life goes on. That makes me ill.

That's the way things are right now. There are few if any consequences to making bad decisions....until you turn 18 and then you're just supposed to know right from wrong. I guess you learn it by osmosis during sleep on the eve of your 18th birthday.

I can see where lack of consequences played into this but you can't make an argument for spaking here. These kids, obviously, had no fear of consequences for taking the boat. However, I had a step son who would do crap like this (he took our car and broke three axles slamming into a curb at 90 MPH when he was 14 and there were NO legal consequences for him!!!) who was spanked. This has more to do with the peer group and what is acceptable to the peer group than whether a child was spanked. It's not just the driver of the boat who thought it was ok to go out on a boat without permission and without an adult.

[Magritte25]

It was an accident caused by the recklessness of headstrong teenagers who believe they are invincible. It isn't the first and it won't be the last. I know my grandparents had friends die during drag races, jumping off cliffs while swimming etc. (Erroneously perceived) Teenage immortality is nothing new. I am sick of people blaming already grieving parents for their children's deaths.

It does no good.

[AnonChick]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

It was an accident caused by the recklessness of headstrong teenagers who believe they are invincible. It isn't the first and it won't be the last. I know my grandparents had friends die during drag races, jumping off cliffs while swimming etc. (Erroneously perceived) Teenage immortality is nothing new. I am sick of people blaming already grieving parents for their children's deaths.

It does no good.

Other than the blaming part, I agree 100%. It isn't the first, nor the last time, that kids will do stupid things because they think they're invincible. And parents worldwide know this, because it's nothing new.

That's what I agree with. But what I also feel - BECAUSE I agree with it:
is that parents need to really consider their own choices.

"Hm..let's go out and buy a new $40,000 boat."
"Well dear, Johnny's just turned 15, and you know how reckless kids can be."
"Oh you know, you're right. Well let's make a rule, that none of the kids can even be -on- the boat, unless one of us is there to drive it."
"Excellent suggestion, dear! And the keys?"
"We keep them locked up in the gun box."
"Perfect. Now, about lunch...."


That's how conversations regarding "toys" that can become lethal weapons in the hands of kids who everyone knows can be reckless and "invincible" should go.

I'm guessing this conversation never took place, when the family was deciding to buy the boat.

And for that - I blame the parents. When you have teenagers, you have to -assume- they are going to try something really stupid at some point before they're adults. It's a rite of passage, it comes with the job of "teenager." And as such, knowing that it is your responsibility as an adult to make this assumption, it is your responsibility to make sure you don't thrust "easy way to die" in their faces.

[Magritte25]

I suppose you are right and you do make good points about hiding keys. To be honest, that is not something *I* would have thought of and we have talked about buying a boat in the past. But I am happy you brought that point up. It is something I will think about if we ever do buy a boat.