Tuesday 16 September 2008

Curfews

I'll admit it. I have become a fan of trashy TV lately. First Taken Out, then 90210. (I'm going to claim the fact that I still haven't become a fan of Home and Away or Neighbours as my saving grace.)

They're just such good shows to knit with! Completely brainless fodder that you don't really have to pay attention to in order to know what's going on. It's perfect for when you need to concentrate more on the knitting and less on the TV.

But that's not the point of this post.

The point of this post is to wonder about the bane of all teenagers' lives - the curfew. (And it's related to trashy TV because I started thinking of it while watching 90210.)

I remember when I was a teenager (it was not that long ago). I hated my curfew, even though it was a very generous one.

I wanted to stay out all night, hang out with friends, be cool, or something or other. And even if I weren't out, I simply wanted to stay up all night. I'm not sure doing what anymore, but going to bed meant the end of the world or something.

It's funny how now that I'm living some 6000kms away from home, without my mum to actually find out what time I get home or go to bed, I find myself usually home by 8pm, and tucked into bed before 11pm.

Maybe it's because nothing stays open past 6pm in Australia except restaurants or supermarkets. But I think it's mostly because I just don't see the point of being out or up all night.

I have a comfortable home to relax in, with almost everything I could possibly want. I'm usually sleep deprived (mainly because although I'm tucked into bed by 11pm, I'm actually reading and not asleep) and so getting an early night's sleep is always a luxury.

If I were a teenager now, my parents would be so pleased with me for adhering to my curfew, and then some.

But why is it that when I was a teenager, it just did not make sense to me to be at home?

Why did I hate my curfew so much?

Maybe I'm just a big nerd.

Or maybe I'm simply getting old...but that still does not answer the question of just what is so alluring about being "out there" past your curfew.

2 comments:

Richard Lawry said...

Our town has a curfew for those under 18. On the local forum, the kids complain about it and the adults say it is a terrible invasion of liberty, but the curfew remains.

Melody said...

A town curfew? Wow, that's new to me. I thought that only existed in a state of emergency or something :P

Has it worked in your town though? Less crime? Less loitering? Less vandalism?

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