Clark County (Las Vegas: movie theater, schools, casinos)

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer68

We now know about 12 people who went through their teenage years in Vegas.

A whole 12? I'm an alcohol and drug counselor specialising in teens 14 to 17. I met a lot more than 12. I'm not saying kids can't grow up unscathed there. I'm just saying it's a lousy place to raise kids.

The nature of your job may well skew the sample that you see. I likely see a better sample than average in that the area I live in and the people I know tend to be upper middle class. I raised my children in S. California mostly. There was full exposure to drugs and alcahol there too.

It is simply another place to raise children. It is not different from Phoenix or Tucson or San Diego or Orange County.

It is not a lousy place to raise children.

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by olecapt

The nature of your job may well skew the sample that you see. I likely see a better sample than average in that the area I live in and the people I know tend to be upper middle class. I raised my children in S. California mostly. There was full exposure to drugs and alcahol there too.

It is simply another place to raise children. It is not different from Phoenix or Tucson or San Diego or Orange County.

It is not a lousy place to raise children.

It's hardly the only place I saw this. The places you mention are better places to raise kids. I don't recall any of them having free pornography in the streets. Most of my time in Vegas was spent working in the Bellagio and the Venitian. In the latter, I saw many, many local girls who were underage hookers. They quickly discover how much money they can make with some pumps, tons of makeup and a tight dress. Teen boys sell drugs all up and down the strip. Opportunities for this type of thing are HUGE and run 24 hours. I spent plenty of time out and about. I've never encountered so many juveniles the way I described. It really made me sad. It's the whole reason I got into working with teens.

Don't give me the Las Vegas sales pitch, I lived there. Las Vegas is a great place for younger singles and retirees. It's a terrible place to raise children. Many parents move here but I don't know any who did with the foremost idea that it would be the best place to raise their children. I'm sure some have. To improve the situation, there needs to be more for them to do. As it is, activities for youth in Clark County are extremely limited. This leads to boredom which sends them looking for trouble. There's plenty to find. The fact that there are 24 hour strip clubs, miles of gambling and around the clock liquor sales bring it's own ocean of problems that nobody can deny, not even you. It's a huge factor that many parents don't want to face. No matter how much you dress it up, Vegas still has a sleazy heart. And that's fine. Vegas is what it is and I wouldn't expect it to be any different. It's a place that needs to exist and is sustained because of that fact.

OK, I'm done.

[olecapt]

There is no pornography in boxes on the streets of Las Vegas... There is salacious advertising but it does not rise to the level of risque of Playboy which can be bought in virtually any convenience store in the US. And the guys do hand out cards for escort services on the strip. I don't think teenagers are likely to partake of those services.

Sure you find teenage hookers...just like in LA and San Diego and Phoenix. The adult entertainment arena though is almost entirely adult. The teenagers appear in the informal market place common in any big city. I am aware of no indications that it is in fact worse in Las Vegas. Note that metro is death on teenagers engaged in almost anything around the tourist zones. Many of the teenage hookers apprehended in Vegas turn out to have come from elsewhere...and are simply shipped back home. Teenage activities tend to revolve around schools, family and church. Las Vegas has the same schools, families and churches.

Why on earth do you think it is worse for teenagers in Vegas than elsewhere? Kindly enumerate the facilities present for youth in other cities not available in Vegas. I think you will swiftly find that Vegas is equipped better than most.

[Sorcerer68]

Originally Posted by olecapt

There is no pornography in boxes on the streets of Las Vegas... There is salacious advertising but it does not rise to the level of risque of Playboy which can be bought in virtually any convenience store in the US. I think you will swiftly find that Vegas is equipped better than most.

I beg to differ and I'm pretty liberal. On your second point about "better than most"...this I've gotta hear.

One point I wanted to make before and didn't...If you're a good hands-on parent and raise your kids well, you can bring them up just about anywhere. This wasn't personal.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer68

I beg to differ and I'm pretty liberal. On your second point about "better than most"...this I've gotta hear.

One point I wanted to make before and didn't...If you're a good hands-on parent and raise your kids well, you can bring them up just about anywhere. This wasn't personal.

There is something that we agree on. A reasonably competent parent can cut it most anywhere...and an incompetent parent will screw up his kids almost anywhere.

You are simply wrong on the boxes. The contain images design to solicit customers for various adult activities both legal and illegal. But they do not contain pornography. Pornography is sold by the advertisers in such publications but they don't give it away.

The worst of these does not approach Playboy anymore the real porno of say the www or usenet. Ever look at the usenet groups?

It appears to me you are spouting off what you have heard and not what you have seen. The boxes being a good example. It just is not true.

[Tressa]

Originally Posted by olecapt

There is something that we agree on. A reasonably competent parent can cut it most anywhere...and an incompetent parent will screw up his kids almost anywhere.

You are simply wrong on the boxes. The contain images design to solicit customers for various adult activities both legal and illegal. But they do not contain pornography. Pornography is sold by the advertisers in such publications but they don't give it away.

The worst of these does not approach Playboy anymore the real porno of say the www or usenet. Ever look at the usenet groups?

It appears to me you are spouting off what you have heard and not what you have seen. The boxes being a good example. It just is not true.

I found this topic to be very interesting but I must agree with you Olecapt, a good parent can raise a good kid Anywhere they live, a parent that is out of touch with their child will allow the child to stray into trouble. It doesn't matter if your in the best possible area, I feel that it's terribly wrong to blame others or area's for the behavior of your kids it belongs on your shoulders.

[themorris5]

Just my two cents....As the mother of 3, a 6 yo, 2 yo and 1yo.... Vegas is NOT a great place to raise kids. The schools are mediocre at best and the private schools are 10k a year, which I think is alot! I took my son to a movie recently and because the theaters are IN the casinos, while we were walking thru, I tried to keep my son from noticing that the waitresses were wearing almost nothing. This isn't porn of course and they aren't hookers I don't think, but is this what I want my son to see? If I am to take responsibility for my kids then I am going to find somewhere to raise them that doesn't embarass me or my kids. I don't want them to think that those jobs are an option for them. I want them to know that college and beyond is the option for them and I don't think this city does anything to impress that on them. I am here because of my husband's job and will be happy to leave.
I would like the city alot more if I were younger and didn't have kids.

[greatbasinguide]

interesting that you think your son should not see scantily clad women. Do you allow him to watch TV or play video games, or watch football?

Americans are a curious breed, prudish about the body yet quite open to violence.

Perhaps, if he and other boys got to see completely unclad women and men on a regular basis America would not have the bizarre "cookie stolen from the cookie jar" syndrome and the 200 billion dollar porn industry would shrivel up.



Just a thought.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by themorris5

Just my two cents....As the mother of 3, a 6 yo, 2 yo and 1yo.... Vegas is NOT a great place to raise kids. The schools are mediocre at best and the private schools are 10k a year, which I think is alot! I took my son to a movie recently and because the theaters are IN the casinos, while we were walking thru, I tried to keep my son from noticing that the waitresses were wearing almost nothing. This isn't porn of course and they aren't hookers I don't think, but is this what I want my son to see? If I am to take responsibility for my kids then I am going to find somewhere to raise them that doesn't embarass me or my kids. I don't want them to think that those jobs are an option for them. I want them to know that college and beyond is the option for them and I don't think this city does anything to impress that on them. I am here because of my husband's job and will be happy to leave.
I would like the city alot more if I were younger and didn't have kids.

There are mediocre schools in Las Vegas. There are, in fact, bad schools in Las Vegas. There are however very good schools in Las Vegas. Send your kids to the good ones. Works every time.

Note that this same statement can be made about every major city in the US.

There are a number of theaters that are not associated with casinos.

[themorris5]

Thanks for your responses.
Actually, my son is in private school after experiencing severe overcrowding in public school - see today's Las Vegas Sun - and he does not watch violent tv or play video games. His school actually frowns upon it. I was thankful to find an atmosphere for him that I approved of. I have no problem with him seeing naked women and men but not in a "sex sells" atmosphere. I would much rather him see kissing, etc on tv than violence. I think it's much healthier so am I not "prudish" about the body. I am prudish about using the body to sell stuff. It's rude and places a stigma to the body that is unrealistic. And it is abundant in Las Vegas. Drive down the strip. There are so many big billboards with naked butts. So to visit the cool kid attractions like the shark reef and mirage secret garden, you drive where? to avoid it? We went to the fashion show mall on sat and saw a fredricks of hollywood fashion show going on. It's common here for women to be half dressed. No I did not find this to be true in Texas where I am from.
I don't want my kids to be either sexualized or "violentized" before they understand it.
I only found out about the movie theaters not in the casinos after my experience. You can be assured it will be my next choice on a movie night, although I have not researched to find out how convienent they are. I have not actually seen one in my exploration of the city. I have been here 9 months. Seems everything revolves around the casinos - attractions like aquariums and theaters and eating and shopping - so they are a little hard to avoid completely.
good luck to you all