Legalize It! –

August 22, 2020 – Many youth who are in this situation fail to gain the notion of personal responsibility for their actions, which hinders their capacity to develop the independent living skills to grow into a responsible adult. So, you now have an individual who is delayed in their development into adulthood. Some youth who I have recently spoken to are simply taking advantage of the situation and now have a mindset of entitlement.

The issue is that this approach requires no accountability for the user and the temporary situation becomes a long-term issue for the youth. Holding them accountable and providing them with resources that could lead to supporting a healthier lifestyle change seems to be a more practical approach to a serious health issue among youth.

Everyone needs a little help but remember, there is a fine line between helping and hindering. We simply may be doing too much for our youth, and in doing so condoning irresponsible behavior. Just a thought.

Deon D. Price is an author and youth life skills coach who lives in Fairfield. He can be reached at Thisyouthgeneration@gmail.com or www.deondprice.com

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